Saint Clair Pioneer Block 15 Marlborough Pinot Noir 2022

Description

Cherry, Oak, Smoke

Deep garnet. Perfumed red berry aromas combine with notes of charry oak. Elegant with bright red cherry and ripe red berry fruit flavours. The palate has a rich, round mouthfeel with silky tannin and a touch of charry oak on the finish. Perfect for drinking immediately this wine will continue to develop for the next five years from vintage date.

The Strip Block is named after a unique, narrow strip of aged, devigorating soils at the base of the southern foothills of the lower Waihopai Valley.

The fruit was harvested when it had reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity. At the winery the fruit was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help extract maximum flavour and to enhance colour stability. Specially selected cultured yeast were used to carry out the primary alcoholic fermentation during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to six times daily at the peak of fermentation. At dryness the wine was pressed, then racked off gross lees to a mixture of 25 per cent new French oak and older seasoned 225 litre oak barriques. During maturation the barrels were regularly tasted until the right balance was achieved (ten months). During this time in oak, the young wine completed malolactic fermentation. The wine was then carefully extracted from oak, blended and prepared for bottling.

Food Pairing: Well-matched with crispy duck breast with sage and thyme.