Technical Analysis
Fermented in the vineyard, to both capture the wild yeasts in situ and allow the vagaries of the season’s weather to place a defining mark upon the wine.
Tasting note
Rolls out of glass with lift and complexity of Indian spices (cumin, turmeric), sandalwood, berry and herbs. The palate is exquisite, long with delicacy and tension.
Vintage conditions
A warm, wet spring gave the vines a great start to the season. This warm weather continued through to flowering and the rain dried up for a great fruit set. Careful hand management helped create an open vineyard canopy to ensure airflow and sunlight into the fruit zone. Summer came through in the new year with a particularly dry & hot February, coming into harvest with pristine fruit that had great concentration, complexity and even ripening.
Vinification details
Hand picked and fermented outside in the vineyard rows where the fruit was grown and using a separate de-stemmer, that lives in the vineyard, so the fruit never left the rows. The fruit is allowed to start fermentation in its own time and respond to the rhythm of the season. Therefore the fermentations are driven not only by indigenous vineyard yeast but also the ambient temperatures, extending the vintage influence on the wine itself. Vats are gently hand plunged once per day and then a short maceration is allowed post-ferment for balance and harmony. The young wine is then aged for 15 months in aged oak barrels before being estate bottled, un-fined and unfiltered.
AWARDS
Vinous: 92 pts
Decanter: 94 pts
Technical Analysis
Fermented in the vineyard, to both capture the wild yeasts in situ and allow the vagaries of the season’s weather to place a defining mark upon the wine.
Tasting note
Graceful, pure & enchanting in the mouth with fine, silky
tannins and a freshness that belies the density on the finish. A delicate nose of cinnamon and cigarbox spice with length, minerality and dark berries on the palate.
Vintage conditions
Spring rain cooled the soil and gave the vines a slow start. Flowering wasn’t ideal, leading to small bunches and lots of leaf growth so extensive canopy work was required to ensure even ripening. Summer came through in the new year with a particularly dry and hot February, bringing harvest in with pristine fruit that had great concentration, but very small volumes. The Vineyard Ferment is made from Dijon clones 115, 667, and 777 on the north facing clay slopes. All organically managed and hand
harvested.
Vinification details
Hand picked and fermented outside in the vineyard rows where the fruit was grown. A separate destemmer is used, that lives in the vineyard so the fruit never leaves the rows. The fruit is allowed to start fermentation in its own time and responds to the rhythm of the season. Therefore the fermentations are driven not only by indigenous vineyard yeast but also the ambient temperatures. The vintage influence on the wine itself is extended. The grapes are gently hand plunged in the vats once per day and then allow a short maceration post-ferment for balance and harmony. The young wine is then aged for 15 months in aged oak barrels before being estate bottled – unfined and unfiltered.
Dom Maxwell on Vineyard Ferments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhi6kRhoCCU
Technical Analysis
Fermented in the vineyard, to both capture the wild yeasts in situ and allow the vagaries of the season’s weather to place a defining mark upon the wine.
Tasting note
Complex and earthy. The 2018 vintage shows minerality, spice and subtle wild berries on the nose. Textural with finely-integrated fruit tannins. A wine with flow, harmony and length.
Vintage conditions
The first week of November and the month of December were very hot and dry – perfect conditions for flowering. The vines produced a solid crop with large bunches. Careful leaf plucking to open the canopy and significant bunch thinning was required to ensure quality targets were met. Rain in January and February gave the soils a top up and ensured canopies stayed healthy. Overall one of the warmest seasons of the last 10 years produced beautiful, healthy Pinot bunches with great flavour intensity.
Vinification details
Hand picked and fermented in the vineyard in the rows where the fruit was grown. Fruit was allowed to start fermentation in its own time and respond to the rhythm of the season, as a result, fermentation was driven not only by indigenous vineyard yeast but also the ambient temperatures. The vats were gently hand plunged once a day and then allowed a short maceration post-ferment for balance and harmony. The young wine was aged for 15 months in older oak barrels before being estate bottled.
Dom Maxwell on Vineyard Ferments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhi6kRhoCCU
Technical Analysis
Fermented in the vineyard, to both capture the wild yeasts in situ and allow the vagaries of the season’s weather to place a defining mark upon the wine.
Tasting note
Compelling and intense, this wine is layered with savoury flavours and juicy dense fruit. Initially fine grained in nature the palate stretches to showcase natural acidity and tension. A wine with finely-balanced weight and complexity.
Vintage conditions
The 2017 growing season followed on from a 12-month drought in North Canterbury. The spring was warm, windy and frost free. Excellent conditions over flowering led to even fruit set and a good number of bunches.
Vinification details
Harvested and destemmed with twenty percent left as whole bunch. Four fermenters were placed in the vineyard with a mix of Dijon clones and the fruit was plunged daily for twenty eight days until fermentation was finished. A cool autumn meant a long cold soak at the beginning but fermentation went through quickly before the cap fell. The wine was then pressed off and aged in old barriques for fifteen months to allow development but retain fruit influence. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
