Description

Wine Analysis Vineyard: Seifried Challies Vineyard Sugar at Harvest: 24.8° Brix Date of Harvest: 17 April 2009 pH of Wine: 3.62 T.A of Wine: 5.6g/L ABV: 14.0% The Vineyard The Rabbit Island Vineyard is situated on a wide river flat. The soil is gravelly sandy loam, which marks the sites of Maori kumara beds (sweet potato) prior to European settlement in the early 1800’s. The Maori transferred and spread fine gravel and sand over the land to provide suitable soils for their kumara plantings. Scrub was burned to give ash and charcoal, which increased soil fertility and gave characteristic topsoil. This fertility is now considerably reduced due to modern farming. The soils are however, very sandy and free draining. The water table is relatively high ensuring adequate underground water. These vineyards are about 1.5 kilometres from the sea, which helps moderate summer temperatures. Winemakers Note The Aotea Pinot Noir 2009 comprises several Dijon clones of Pinot Noir sourced from our Estate “Challies Block”. Several of these clones were co-fermented to add complexity to the wine. The grapes were picked in April at the peak of ripeness and then de-stemmed. A seven day cold-maceration period preceded inoculation for fermentation. Hand plunging was carried out three times a day during the seven day primary fermentation, followed by a five day period of post-fermentation maceration. After pressing, the young wine was put into French barriques where it underwent malolactic fermentation and ageing. This wine is blended from a selection of the barrels which our winemakers consider to be the very best of our 2009 Pinot Noir. It was blended and bottled at the end of April 2010. Tasting Note The 2009 Aotea Pinot Noir is supple, silky and youthful. The sweet fruit characters of plums, raspberry and earthy spice give a warm, round finish to the succulent wine.