Quartz Reef Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018

Quartz Reef Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018Spiced oak Dark cherry Blackcurrant Prolonged finish "Reasonably light in colour but certainly not lacking power, with dark cherry, violet, blackcurrant and spicy oak flavours supported by bright acidity and peppery tannins. A youthful wine that would benefit from bottle age" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, May 2020 The 2018 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is a terrific effort, marrying attractive floral and tea like aromas with bright raspberry

• Spiced oak
• Dark cherry
• Blackcurrant
• Prolonged finish

"Reasonably light in colour but certainly not lacking power, with dark cherry, violet, blackcurrant and spicy oak flavours supported by bright acidity and peppery tannins. A youthful wine that would benefit from bottle age" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, May 2020

“The 2018 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is a terrific effort, marrying attractive floral and tea-like aromas with bright raspberry and cherry fruit. It’s medium to full-bodied but seems lighter and fresher because the flesh is wrapped within a sleeve of crisp acids, containing and buttressing it, focusing it into a prolonged finish. Despite the warm vintage, this is impeccably balanced, with the ability to age well for a decade" Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, Feb 2020

Divine ruby red in colour with aromas of raspberry and cherry. Rich on the palate with cherry, blackcurrant and subtle spice. An elegant wine with bright acidity, fine tannins and a long vibrant finish.

This wine is from a BioGro certified organic and Demeter certified biodynamic estate vineyard located in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. The vineyard was planted in 1998 after careful site selection. The soils on the beautiful north facing slope are Waenga fine sandy loam and Letts steepland with an elevation of 217 – 264 metres, on 44.55° south.  Clones: 10/5, 5, 115, 667, 777 & Abel.

The vineyard experienced an extraordinary summer resulting in the hottest growing season ever in Central Otago’s modern history. Early flowering and ripening meant their normal six months of growing was condensed into a mere five months. February rain brought relief for the vines and enabled them to achieve physiological ripeness, and warmer than normal nights lead to lower acidity. Harvest dates were brought forward to achieve perfect balance.

Hand-picked on the 8th, 12th and 15th March. Each clone was small batch vinified with a small percentage of whole cluster per ferment. Cold Soaked for up to 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle plunging each day, followed by post maceration of up to 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 21 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (25% new) where the wine aged for 12 months during which wild malolactic fermentation occurs.
The winemaking was very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the Old World. The winemaker, Rudi Bauer, has combined these techniques, and his own personal understanding, to create this wine. 

Food Pairing: Perfect with game birds, try with roast pheasant & bread sauce.