Gibbston Valley Gold River Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018

Description

Even ruby red. The nose exudes bright red fruits, with lovely lift, and a fragrant, earthy complexity. The palate is very approachable, with delicate creamy red fruit. An elegant fragrant style, it has a silky, lasting charm. The 2018 Gold River Pinot Noir is made for immediate consumption.

Handpicked, small batch fermented, and barrel aged in French oak, the Gold River Pinot Noir offers exceptional quality and regionality at a good price.

A year with record heat, 2018 was notable for its extremes and early harvest. Warm and settled in spring, there was rapid canopy establishment and an early onset of flowering. A good, even set resulted, already a month ahead of normal. The summer months were consistently hot, with temperatures regularly touching the high 30’s and unusually warm nights. From February, periodic rain events gave much needed relief and milder conditions followed through into harvest. The fruit was harvested 3-4 weeks earlier than normal. There is no questioning its generosity and ripeness. It was a frenetic growing season that required vigilence and attention - but one that has produced diverse, quality wines full of expression.

Fruit from 3 subregions was divided into 5 tonne open top fermenters. Typical maceration was 21-24 days before pressing. The wines went through MLF in barrel, and spent 8 months in French oak.