Dicey The Inlet Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020

Description

Herbal, Oak, Spice

"Complex, mineral, savoury, youthful and vibrant varietal bouquet. Aromas and flavours of red currant and apple, dark cherry and thyme. There’s a spicy wood character and earthy complexity reflecting the use of oak and cool climate site along with a youthful flinty note reflecting fruit quality and winemaking skill. A wine for the cellar with best drinking from 2024 through 2032+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Dec 2021

"A very good example of Bannockburn Pinot with dense, almost succulent red fruits, violet, red rose, herb, thyme and anise characters. A seductively smooth-textured wine with a lingering finish" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Dec 2021

"A modern, potent, perfumed, high-tone nose on the riper end of the spectrum. There are appealing aromas of violets, strawberry conserve, raspberries, vanilla and cream. Seductively plush in texture, rich, tasty and concentrated, with suave, supple tannins and plenty of oak. Delicious drinking" NZ Wine Rater

Displaying cherry and raspberry notes with violet on the nose. Rich, rounded and supple on the palate.

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

2020 set a new benchmark for challenges: disease pressure, rain and cold weather during flowering and fruitset led to in bunch variability. It was the coldest year since 2005. A protracted veraison and long ripening phase kept us on the back foot — the one bonus being how clean and tasty the fruit was! COVID-19 lockdown arrived with our first day of harvest. Even with all that adversity, the small berries were bursting with flavour and acidity.

A blend of all the clones on the vineyard 1/3 each from Clones 6, 777 and 115 with 15% whole bunch. Fermented with indigenous yeast and spent 20 days on skins; around 6 days cold soak, 8 days in ferment then 6 days post ferment. Ferment temperatures peaked at 300C, the wine was punched down at most once daily, with none during post ferment maturation. Maturation in aged barrels provides for the wine’s development. Natural malolactic fermentation in the spring, no fining prior to bottling in October 2021.