Tasting Notes:

Black cherry and heady spices on the aroma lead to a palate that is loaded with powerful fruit intensity.

This fruit intensity is well balanced with plenty of fine grained tannin and a long, intense finish.

Showing excellent mid-term ageing potential.

Viticulture:

Now in its fifth year, this wine represents the exploration of Port Phillip Estate's second site, located in Balnarring.

This vineyard, planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, was acquired in 2007 but originally established in 1997.

The original plantings comprise two distinct areas of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

A third area has been planted to Pinot Noir, exploiting the higher-density planting matrix found throughout the Pinot Noir growing regions of the Old World.

Winemaking:

The Port Phillip Estate Balnarring Pinot Noir was fermented in a combination of large-format wooden foudre and stainless-steel tanks.

The ferment, with a small amount of whole bunches, commenced spontaneously with ambient yeasts and lasted 18 days.

Following fermentation, the wine was pressed and racked into French oak barriques (of which 20% were new) and underwent indigenous malolactic fermentation.

The wine was racked only for bottling, with a total maturation period of 11 months.

It was then bottled without fining and with minimal filtration.