Viticulture:

The 2014 season at Myrtle Point got off to a disastrous start, with a savage frost on Friday the 13th of September affecting the entire vineyard. This was a first for the Myrtle Point Vineyard, and we really weren’t sure what to expect. As it turned out it burnt off all the primary shoots setting growth back about a month. While this was a big problem for production, an unexpected benefit was that when the vines did recover and make it to the flowering stage, the fierce Spring winds had abated and the weather was beautiful. This allowed the fruit that had set to develop very even bunches that looked great. From then on the remaining summer until harvest was perfect for growing vines. Very few major heat events, no East Coast Lows and the delayed flowering meant that the fruit developed later in the season and did its ripening in the cool of Autumn rather than late Summer, resulting in grapes with good concentration and lively acid.

Winemaking:

The 2014 Pinot Noir harvest began on Tuesday the 11th of March and finished on Friday the 21st March. Harvest Baumes ranged from 12.65 to 13.1. Grapes were destemmed into open fermenters, inoculated with yeast (RC212 & M2) and allowed to ferment. A portion of the fruit (20%) was fermented with whole bunches added to allow for Carbonic maceration to occur to further develop the aroma and fruit character on the palate. The ferments were hand plunged two to three times a day to extract a fine tannin structure. Following fermentation, the wine was pressed and put into French oak barriques, of which 15% were new, with wood coming from the Allier, Chatillon, and Troncais forests. Coopers used were Francois Frere, St. Martin, Sirugue and Bossuet. This wine was not fined or filtered.

The Wine:

Bright cherry and plum fruit character with savoury elements, complexity, texture and fine tannin structure. Classic Gippsland Pinot Noir.

Viticulture:

The 2014 season at Myrtle Point got off to a disastrous start, with a savage frost on Friday the 13th of September affecting the entire vineyard. This was a first for the Myrtle Point Vineyard, and we really weren’t sure what to expect. As it turned out it burnt off all the primary shoots setting growth back about a month. While this was a big problem for production, an unexpected benefit was that when the vines did recover and make it to the flowering stage, the fierce Spring winds had abated and the weather was beautiful. This allowed the fruit that had set to develop very even bunches that looked great. From then on the remaining summer until harvest was perfect for growing vines. Very few major heat events, no East Coast Lows and the delayed flowering meant that the fruit developed later in the season and did its ripening in the cool of Autumn rather than late Summer, resulting in grapes with good concentration and lively acid.

Winemaking:

The 2014 Pinot Noir harvest began on Tuesday the 11th of March and finished on Friday the 21st March. Harvest Baumes ranged from 12.65 to 13.1. Grapes were destemmed into open fermenters, inoculated with yeast (RC212 & M2) and allowed to ferment. A portion of the fruit (20%) was fermented with whole bunches added to allow for Carbonic maceration to occur to further develop the aroma and fruit character on the palate. The ferments were hand plunged two to three times a day to extract a fine tannin structure. Following fermentation, the wine was pressed and put into French oak barriques, of which 15% were new, with wood coming from the Allier, Chatillon, and Troncais forests. Coopers used were Francois Frere, St. Martin, Sirugue and Bossuet. This wine was not fined or filtered.

The Wine:

Bright cherry and plum fruit character with savoury elements, complexity, texture and fine tannin structure. Classic Gippsland Pinot Noir.

Vineyard:

Lightfoot & Sons wines are made exclusively from grapes grown by the Lightfoot family on their Myrtle Point Vineyard in the Gippsland Lakes District. Located between the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and Bass Straight, the Gippsland Lakes District enjoys a cool, semi-maritime climate. The Terra Rosa over limestone soils of Myrtle Point vineyard and the region’s cool, semi-maritime climate, provide an ideal environment for producing premium wine.

Lightfoot & Sons wines are made exclusively from grapes grown by the Lightfoot family on their Myrtle Point Vineyard in the Gippsland Lakes District. Located between the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and Bass Straight, the Gippsland Lakes District enjoys a cool, semi-maritime climate. The Terra Rosa over limestone soils of Myrtle Point vineyard and the region’s cool, semi-maritime climate, provide an ideal environment for producing premium wine.