Waimea Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2007
With classic aromas of dark cherry, sweet spices, and smoky oak, and a palate with supple fruit and oak tannins balanced by a creamy textured finish, this elegant Pinot Noir embodies the finesse and style that this variety is famous for.
Region: Nelson
Variety:
Pinot Noir
Producer: Waimea Estates
Wine Notes
Winemaker Notes:
The approach to this Pinot Noir is essentially traditional, with gentle handling and extraction from harvest right through to bottling. This encourages a tannin structure of finesse and delicacy, without compromising the dark cherry and plum flavours naturally abundant in the fruit.
After de-stemming without crushing, the musts were chilled to 10°C for a period of five days before fermentation to enhance aroma and colour. Fruit from the different vineyard blocks was fermented separately and inoculated with specialised Burgundian yeasts. The ferments were then carefully hand-plunged or pumped over twice daily, temperatures peaking at 30-32ºC.
At dryness, the wines were allowed to soak further on the skins until the optimum balance between structure and flavour was achieved. The wine was then pressed off its skins, and after a short settling time, it was racked off its gross yeast lees to premium oak barrels to undergo natural malolactic fermentation and 100% oak maturation until mid February. The wine was then carefully racked out of its oak barrels, and bottled in March 2008.
After de-stemming without crushing, the musts were chilled to 10°C for a period of five days before fermentation to enhance aroma and colour. Fruit from the different vineyard blocks was fermented separately and inoculated with specialised Burgundian yeasts. The ferments were then carefully hand-plunged or pumped over twice daily, temperatures peaking at 30-32ºC.
At dryness, the wines were allowed to soak further on the skins until the optimum balance between structure and flavour was achieved. The wine was then pressed off its skins, and after a short settling time, it was racked off its gross yeast lees to premium oak barrels to undergo natural malolactic fermentation and 100% oak maturation until mid February. The wine was then carefully racked out of its oak barrels, and bottled in March 2008.
Viticulture Notes:
This season started off with a cold Spring with low levels of fruit set and summer was a late starter with cool windy weather around Christmas and New Year. By February we were in summer proper with lots of hot and sunny days, and almost no rain leading to very dry conditions in the vineyards. Autumn continued very much in this vein with a glorious Indian summer and our first fruit was harvested in late March. Due to lower crop levels and a late but warm season, this year’s fruit has excellent concentration and flavours.
The grapes for the Waimea Barrel Selection Pinot Noir come from our Packhouse vineyard on the stony loam soils of the Waimea Plains. The fruit was picked on the last week of March and first week of April and includes a range of clones including 114, 115, and 667 and 777. By using a range, the nuances of each clone are subtly combined to give the wine a palate of real depth and interest.
The grapes for the Waimea Barrel Selection Pinot Noir come from our Packhouse vineyard on the stony loam soils of the Waimea Plains. The fruit was picked on the last week of March and first week of April and includes a range of clones including 114, 115, and 667 and 777. By using a range, the nuances of each clone are subtly combined to give the wine a palate of real depth and interest.
Technical Details
Alcohol:
14.85 %
Residual Sugar:
dry
Total Acidity:
6.6g/l
ph:
3.67
Consuming
Cellaring:
Due to this fine structure – it is a wine that will reward careful cellaring, and in time the fruit-driven flavours and aromas will integrate with more earthy and savoury complexities.
Food Match:
Enjoy this Nelson Pinot with red meat and mushroom-based sauces. It is a particularly good match with wild game dishes such as duck and wild venison.
