A lovely wine this one. And we didn’t make much either. 40 dozen only!

The 2022 growing season presented some challenges. Particularly for early flowering varieties like Pinot Noir. Strong winds, hail and generally cold, wintery springtime weather hindered vineyard progress at key points in the growth cycle - all leading to much, much lower yields. In some cases, crops were down 85%, as was the case here.

But as always in wine, with challenge comes possibility. And the possibility for us was to pick this tiny parcel of spectacular fruit, and make some fine wine. What fruit was on the vine presented disease free, unblemished and boasting skins as thick as we’d ever seen on the variety.

Taking a single nally pick bin and throwing the remaining buckets in the ute, we transported this MV6 clone Pinot Noir from the Upper Yarra Valley to our winery in Bangholme for processing. Leaving 10% whole bunches in a single 1000L plastic open fermenter, we gently destemmed the remaining (90%) portion of fruit directly on top, gassing and wrapping the pot awaiting wild fermentation to commence.

Being a later pick, there was plenty of ambient yeast in the winery, hence ferment started naturally after 48 hours. We left this one alone, choosing a more hands off approach from start to finish. After 15 days on skins, and once dry, we gently pressed to tank and finally racked to 2 x 225L barriques (one of those being a new burgundian coopered barrel) for MLF and maturation. After 4 months, we racked and returned wine from the new barrel, to a neutral barrique with the aim of lessening wood impact, allowing the fruit to shine, and sit above rather than underneath.

After another 5 months maturation, our Macclesfield Pinot Noir was transferred from barrel to tank for settling. We bottled in early January 2023 without any additions or adjustments other than S02.

Only starting to unfold now, this Pinot Noir will certainly benefit short term cellaring. Showing lovely vineyard character, there’s cherries, boysonberry, dark floral and amaro spice. The oak is malty and works in sync, adding layers rather than dominating what is an intensely flavoured and well structured wine.

We didn’t fine or filter, allowing the tannin and solids to roam freely, keeping the wine upright and food-worthy for you to enjoy.