Description
Vineyard:
The vineyard descends along a hillside, transitioning from an easterly-facing aspect to a northeast-facing slope. This slightly cooler profile enhances the development of darker fruit tones and spicier aromatics. The tannins remain fine and subtle, contributing to the wine’s overall elegance. The high clay content in the soil lends itself to wines with bright acidity and a more pronounced mineral character. The 2023 Pinot Noir vintage saw a generous yield, marking an 8.95% increase over the long-term average. The season recorded an average rainfall of 788mm, with 43% (341mm) occurring during the wet growing period. One notable challenge was a two-week heatwave in January, which accelerated the ripening process.
Winemaking:
Each Pinot Noir clone was carefully destemmed into stainless steel fermenters, with 20% left as whole bunches to enhance complexity. The must underwent a three-day cold soak before spontaneous fermentation began, lasting approximately 10 days. During this time, the fermenting must was gently pumped over the grape skins twice a day. After fermentation, the wine remained on the skins for an extra 4–5 days to develop structure and depth before being pressed off into barrels for maturation. It then aged for 11 months in a mix of second- and third-fill barrels. After barrel aging, the wine was transferred to a stainless steel tank, where it rested for six months to allow for homogenisation. Finally, the wine was carefully filtered and bottled, ensuring balance and purity in the final expression.
