Grown under a certified organic programme (BioGro #5124) on our Estate. This was the second vintage made entirely on the Estate.

This was one of the cooler growing seasons in the Waipara Valley although it was followed by a lingering dry autumn. The vineyard went through two hailstorms in Summer. We hand thinned out all the damaged bunches leaving an unusually small harvest with terrific cool climate varietal flavours with good natural acidity. At around the autumn equinox, the sun came out giving us a warm and sunny run up to harvest, which ended up being considerably later than usual. The delay meant the harvested fruit was physiologically ripe but lower in sugars. Our Pinot Noir fermentations are delightfully complex with good acidity.

Hand harvested; 100% destemmed without crushing into open top fermenters, wild ferment helped along only by gentle hand plunging. We basket pressed immediately 0 Brix was achieved. The completion of fermentation and maturation took place in a selection of quality tight-grained French oak barriques (mainly Allier and Tronçaise), none new, for 11 months. 

Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Contains no additions and very low levels of sulphites. Bottled under screw cap in light-weight glass.