Esk Valley, Marlborough

Pinot Noir 2008

This wine is a regional blend from selected vineyard sites in both the Wairau and Awatere Valleys. The vineyards are trained on a VSP trellis and managed intensively managed to produce low yields of excellent quality fruit. Shoot thinning, bunch thinning and leaf plucking are all employed in the pursuit of quality.

WINEMAKING

The fruit was hand picked, de-stemmed and soaked before fermentation in open topped fermenters. Hand plunging was employed to gently extract tannin and colour from the grapes and when dry the fruit was pressed and run to both tank and barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine was then aged in oak barriques for 12 months before blending and bottling.

WINEMAKER'S COMMENT

This is an elegant and complex style of Pinot Noir. Very varietal and typical of Marlborough Pinot Noir, it exhibits flavours of red fruits, plum, cherry, currants with notes of clove and spice and a subtle oak influence. Its elegance and underlying acidity make it very food friendly.

FOOD MATCH

Enjoy with a wide range of game dishes, red meats, duck, pork and tuna.

IDEAL DRINKING

2009 - 2012

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Region: Marlborough
Variety: Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 14.0%
pH: 3.52
Maturation: 12 months in oak barriques
Total acidity: 5.8 g/L
Residual sugar: Dry