• Soft Oak
• Black Doris plum
• Violet & lavender
• Fine acidity

"An expressive bouquet, youthful and varietal, fruity and forward. Aromas of dark berries especially cherry, plum and black currant. No mistaking the origin with a core of fine silty mineral soil - then - oak with a mix of old and some new (ish). On the palate - youthful, dry, chalky textures and a varietal core of fruit flavours that reflect the nose. A dense rose bush floral layer emerges along with Asian spices and black tea notes. Well made, youthful and lengthy. best drinking from late 2021 through 2026+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2021

"Youthfully fruited and inviting, the bouquet shows dark cherry, sweet plum, floral, clove and almond characters, leading to a succulent palate that's supple and lingering with fine grainy tannins, finishing sturdy and pleasingly dry. At its best: now to 2024" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jan 2021

Vibrant, deep crimson colour, a very energetic looking wine. Darker Pinot shades here; black cherry, Black Doris plum and sarsaparilla/cola notes on the first sniff, then meat, spice and earth with some woodsy/tarry smells. Plenty of floral prettiness as well with a waft of violet and lavender. A full expression of Pinot Noir, albeit on the darker side of the force! Very intense dark cherry delivered in a ‘fruit bomb’ of rich textures and flavours. Lovely ripe Martinborough style tannins providing great framework with some fine acidity delivering just enough charge. Delicious now but will most certainly develop into more deliciousness over the next few years.

As always, crafted using 100% Estate grown Pinot Noir harvested from both of the winemakers vineyards. Majority harvested from the younger vines growing on the clay/limestone hillside of the Blue Rock Vineyard. All fruit is destemmed and gently transferred into 6 tonne open top temperature controlled stainless steel fermenters. The fruit is chilled down and held for a 5-6 day ‘cold soak’ to aid in colour and flavour extraction. Once the cooling is turned off the ferment begins as the fruit slowly comes up to ambient temperature. Once fermentation is in progress the ‘ferment’ is plunged twice daily. Temperature is closely monitored with a peak of around 30 degrees allowed towards the end of the fermentation. Total maceration time was between 15–30 days before gentle pressing followed by oak maturation for 10 months. Bottled following minimal fining and gentle filtration. No animal products used.

Winter came late with August and September cold and wet. Jack Frost paid a visit with a catastrophic event occurring late spring resulting in heavy losses across the region. We were not spared, Eclipse vineyard was struck across the blocks closest to the terrace edge, losses estimated around 30%. High rainfall returned in November negatively impacting on the flowering stage, reducing crop levels significantly and making vineyard work extremely difficult. To put it mildly; a highly challenging spring. Summer was hot and relatively dry. Harvest was early again with perfect weather for picking. In the end, excellent quality fruit was harvested albeit in small quantities.

Food Pairing: Drink with deboned and roasted quail stuffed with foie gras and prunes.