Auntsfield Heritage 2005 Pinot Noir
April 2008 (This wine will be launched on May 7, 2008 at the luncheon following the unveiling of the David Herd statue)
The Auntsfield Heritage 2005 Pinot Noir is our tribute to David Herd, who established Marlborough’s first commercial vineyard at Auntsfield in the 1870’s. The wine also celebrates the 100th anniversary of David Herd’s last vintage in the year he died.
Some special circumstances contributed to this wine: Overall, 2005 was a good year and the quality of the Pinot Noir fruit on the Hawk Hill slopes at harvest was extremely good. However, while inspecting the fruit within the Hawk Hill vines we discovered some very small pockets of exceptional quality fruit. We decided that this had to be treated separately from the rest.
The fruit was carefully hand-harvested, de-stemmed and, because each pocket was distinctive and small, we placed each individually in small traditional open-top oak barrels to soak. With minimal winemaker intervention, each barrel was allowed to undergo wild ferment naturally in a traditional manner. The wine was then carefully gravity-fed into new French barriques and aged for 18 months. When we selected the best nine barrels from the vintage for the Heritage wine, this traditionally crafted wine made up the majority of the selection.
Then another exceptional thing happened. A member of the Herd family contacted us and told us that they possessed the last remaining bottle of David Herd’s 1905 wine. They gave us a portion to add the Heritage wine as a historic component.
What could be more fitting than to carefully hand-harvest our most exceptional parcels of fruit, let them undergo wild fermentation in oak barrels and then choose only the very best nine barrels to be infused with the very last of David Herd’s ultimate vintage?
The resulting Pinot Noir is a pure expression of vineyard character. The aromatics are heady with complex fruit and earthy character. They seem to both tantalize and seduce. The palate shows layers of velvety texture, dark fruit and savoury flavors that reveal, evolve, express and continue.
Dedicated to David Herd, for the pleasure of those who appreciate fine wine and have a taste for heritage.
Winemaker - Mike Just assisted by Luc Cowley
Viticulturalist- Ben Cowley
Alc 14.5% pH 3.67 TA 6.5
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