Villa Maria Platinum Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2018

Description

• French oak
• Boysenberry
• Subtle florals
• Gentle acidity

A key focus of Villa Maria is to be environmentally responsible and to operate using sustainable practices in order to protect the land for future generations. This Pinot Noir expresses black fruits like boysenberries and blueberries with subtle floral notes and gentle acidity. The cocoa powder tannins and smokey toasty notes add complexity with a generous juicy finish.

The 2018 growing season started with excellent spring and a strong flowering period which was followed by a long spell of hot weather with regular rainfall events through the summer months. With ample soil moisture, harvest started earlier than the previous two vintages, luckily the cooler autumn weather helped retain natural acidity as the season progressed.

Organically grown Pinot Noir fruit, 85% is sourced from Finlayson Vineyard in the Southern Valleys sub-region of the Wairau Valley, 15% is from our Templar Vineyard in the cooler, windier Awatere Valley. A mixture of Pinot Noir clones 667, Abel, 113, 10/5 is planted. The fruit is cold-soaked in open-top fermenters for 3-5 days, then natural fermentation takes place with native yeasts. After 18-22 days on skins, the wines are pressed into seasoned French oak barriques for 12 months.

Food Pairing: Pinot Noir is the most versatile of all wines, so will match well with most dishes including smoked Salmon.