• French oak
• Raspberry
• Spice
• Fine tannins

Attractive and engaging bouquet of ripe red berry fruits - raspberry, plum and cherry; plenty of spice and mineral tones with a wild red rose perfume. On the palate - dry, fruity with flavours that reflect the nose - wild raspberry and plum, moderate toasty oak and oak spice layer, loads of energy, fine tannins and plenty of acidity; youthful. Drink now and through 2027.

After a normal budburst the vintage started cool, which slowed the vines down. The temperature recovered in late December and we had a cool January, but a long hot finish from February to end of March. This resulted in very perfumed and aromatic fruit with a wider range of flavours than normal. There is a significant acid backbone which provides structure and definition and will certainly aid in the aging of this wine.

The Composition 2015 Pinot Noir was fermented with wild yeast and spent 28 days on the skins; around 9-10 days cold soak, 8 – 9 days in ferment then 10 days post ferment. A blend of 30% Black Rabbit and 70% Inlet PN, with 417 dozen bottled.

Cairnmuir Road, Bannockburn, Central Otago.

Ceres Bannockburn Pinot Noir is made up of fruit from 2 vineyards in the sub-region of Bannockburn, totalling 8 ha.

Maturation for 12 months – 20% new (French, from a variety if Burgundian coopers)

The Inlet Vineyard is situated on a river terrace above the Bannockburn Inlet along Cairnmuir Road in Bannockburn. Planted in 2002. The soils are loess ranging from 200 – 600mm on top off deep clay gravels, around 160,000 years old. On an elevation of 225-245m. 5.25 ha.

The Black Rabbit Vineyard is neighbouring Inlet Vineyard, 1.46 ha, the site elevation is 250 –315m with ancient soils between 4 and 300 million years old.

By Winemaker Matt Dicey.