Dicey The Inlet Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021

Description

Herbal, Oak, Spice

"Black fruit, spice and oak. Firm tannins here with a floral complexity and floral, perfumed blackberry notes. Still young with lots of firm closed-in tannins, plenty of body but also a nice acid line through the mid-palate which brings the fruit through in the end. Needs time but this will blossom into a powerful wine" Stephen Wong, The Real Review, Dec 2023

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.

An unsettled spring meant as low start to growing. After some warmer temps the inclement weather — including some low snowfall — continued into flowering. The vines set with small berries on compact bunches. Some screaming windstorms visited over Easter but we got through without damage. The fruit was disease free and delicious. Overall the season was warmer than normal, and the yields lower.

A blend of all the clones on the vineyard 55% Clone 6, 33% 777and 23% 115 with 7.5% whole bunch. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeast and spent21 days on skins: 6 days cold soak, 8 days in ferment then 7days post ferment. Ferment temperatures peaked at 300C,the wine was punched down at most once daily, with none during post ferment maturation. Maturation in well-seasoned /aged barrels provides for the wine's development. Natural malolactic fermentation in the spring, no fining prior to bottling in August 2022.