Winemakers notes

The wild fermentation along with extended lees maturation in a barrel has added complexity and texture to the palate on this Pinot Noir. This has created a supple wine with good weight and fruit intensity, which is already showing chocolate and cherry aromas mingled with hints of oak. The wine has a wonderfully vivid, violet hue.

Download the Pinot Noir 2010 tasting notes (PDF, 310 KB)

Vinification

The grapes for this Pinot Noir were grown in the Awatere and Brancott Valleys and picked by hand from late March as optimum ripeness was reached in each block. The wine was fermented completely using indigenous yeast and combined with rigorous hand plunging to ensure a good extraction of colour and tannins. Portions of the blend remained on skins post fermentation, while others were pressed at dryness and then transferred to French oak and stainless steel barrels for maturation.