• French oak
• Dark cherry & raspberry
• Vanilla & hazelnut
• Fine tannins

"This is immediately appealing on the nose showing complex aromas of dark cherry, vanilla, mushroom, thyme and hazelnut characters. The palate displays excellent concentration and fleshy mouthfeel, wonderfully complemented by savoury nuances and beautifully integrated fine tannins. Gorgeously stylish. At its best: now to 2025" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2020

"Bright, fresh, youthful and fruity with aromas of fresh cherry and raspberry, a touch of bubble gum, rose and red apple then a soft, almost quiet oak scent with a touch of brown spice. On the palate - youthful, tense, plump, fresh, fruity and dry. Still quite young with firm tannins and medium+ acidity. There’s a tartness to some of the fruit - so best enjoyed with food to balance this aspect. Still developing so also okay to cellar for another two years. Best enjoyed from late 2021 through 2025" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jun 2020

"From hill-grown vines planted in 1995 and 1996, the 2018 vintage was matured for a year in French oak barriques and puncheons (15 per cent new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Ruby hued, it is an attractively perfumed, medium to full-bodied, graceful red with fresh, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity and a lengthy finish. Well worth cellaring" Michael Cooper, Aug 2020

A lovely bright red hue in the glass. Very charming and alluring. Oh, so pretty! There is a purity here, an ethereal beauty. I smell delicate florals and bright red berry but there is also intriguing and complex non fruit stuff, like a rose essence and a certain spice and fresh earth mineral like quality. Nothing out of place or forced, feels very natural and harmonious. The impression on the palate is one of power, purity and precision. Great concentration and focus; everything in its right place. Lots to taste but for me this wine is more about how it feels. This wine is pure energy. Enjoy upon release or cellar for 10 years plus.

Fruit hand sorted and 100 % destemmed. Intact berries were gently tipped into a mixture of 2 and 3 ton open top fermenters and chilled down for several days. Fermentation was spontaneous with twice daily gentle plunging. Temperatures peaked in the low to mid 30s. Total maceration time was between 20 and 30 days. Post press the wine was run off into barriques and puncheons (around 15 % new) for 12 months maturation. Blending and racking was carried out in May 2019. Bottled in September 2019. Unfined and unfiltered. No animal products used.

Ample winter and early spring rains made parts of the vineyard inaccessible for machinery in the early part of the growing season. Conditions changed to extreme dry with a mini drought and well above average temperatures into late October and November. Good even budburst followed by an excellent fruit set, combined with rapid shoot growth promised an excellent crop. Alas, the weather turned again! High and frequent rainfall combined with high temperatures created a nightmare scenario in the vineyard; Everything grew like crazy, and disease pressure was very high! The team worked like mad and made the best of a difficult season. Harvest in the end was two –three weeks ahead of normal. The 2018 Blue Rock Pinot Noir was sourced from Jims Block which was planted in 1995 to Pommard Clones 114 & 115 and from Highfold block which was planted in 1996 with Dijon clone 777.