WYCROFT PINOT NOIR TASTING NOTES

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2006 Wycroft Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir (100%) – clones 114; 115; 667; 777; UCD5; 10/5

Vineyard: Wycroft, Matahiwi, Masterton

Vintage: A more normal season with the warm post-veraison weather resulting in ripe, flavoursome fruit with good balance and true varietal character.

Production: Hand-picked fruit was crushed and de-stemmed to vat with pectic enzymes to aid juice colour extraction and settling characteristics. A selected yeast culture was used to ferment the juice after cool pre-soak, and the max. temp. was 330 C. Cooling was then applied.

Pressed after 11 days on skins and the new wine was racked off gross lees to a balance of new and two-year-old French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation followed. Bottled after maturing for 10 months, it was neither filtered nor fined.

Appearance: Clear dark-medium red with a noticeable purple rim.

Aroma: Distinctive black cherry with chocolate and hints of plum and ripe fruit spice notes. Fine, integrated vanillin oak nuances add complexity to the aromas.

Palate: Flavoursome, clean and fresh with long ripe cherry flavours and hints of chocolate. The subtle, integrated oak, natural acidity and fruit tannins, combined with elegant pinosity, make it ideal for serving with food as well as easy drinking.

Cellaring: Up to seven years for further complexity.

Winemaker: Chris Buring, Oak House, Martinborough (17th pinot noir vintage there)

Technical Points

Harvest date: 19th April, 2006
Bottled: 9th February 2007.
Brix at Harvest: 23.70 brix
Alcohol: 13.5% (12.9% actual)
Residual Sugar: Dry
TA: 6.2g/l
pH: 3.50

Reviews

Neal Martin (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate) - 92/100 "Very well crafted. Excellent"
Jancis Robinson - 17/20 "Well done. Graceful"
Decanter Magazine - 5 Star Award, Sept 08
Bob Campbell MW - 91/100 "Subtle yet powerful"
Australian Gourmet Traveller - Top 100 new releases
Tom Cannavan Winepages - 91/100 "Very impressive"

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Wycroft Pinot Noir 2007

Variety Pinot Noir, clones 114, 115, 667, 777, UCD5, 10/5

Vineyard Wycroft, Matahiwi Rd, Masterton, NZ.

Vintage A wet and cold spring limited fruit-set and gave very low crop levels. Quality prevailed over quantity and a warm, late summer gave good fruit balance and concentrated flavours, which promise longevity.

Production Hand-picked fruit was crushed and de-stemmed to vat with the addition of peptic enzymes to aid juice and colour extraction and settling. A selected yeast culture was used to ferment the must at up to 32 deg C after four days cold soak.

Pressed after 12 days on skins the wine was racked off to a balance of new and two year old French oak where malolactic fermentation followed. Bottled after 11 months, it was neither filtered nor fined.

Colour Clear medium/dark red with an intense pink rim.

Nose A sweet, vibrant and heady perfume of blackcurrant, cherry, hints of cinnamon and vanillin oak.

Palate Bright and vivacious plum and ripe cherry-drenched palate with well integrated natural acidity and fruit tannins delivering complex, balanced, concentrated and classical pinosity with lingering appeal.

Cellaring Up to 10 years.

Winemaker Chris Buring, Oak House, Martinborough

Technical Points

Harvest date: 27/30 April 2007
Bottled: March 4, 2008
Brix at Harvest: 24.1
Alcohol: 13% (12.5% actual)
Residual sugar: Dry
TA: 7.2gl
pH: 3.36

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Wycroft Forbury Pinot Noir 2008

Variety Pinot Noir, clones 114, 115, 667, 777, UCD5, 10/5

Vineyard Wycroft, Matahiwi Rd, Masterton, NZ

Vintage Close to a perfect vintage, with a warm, dry summer followed by a long autumn with cool evenings, giving ripe, flavoursome fruit.

Production Hand-picked fruit was crushed and de-stemmed to vat where it was cold soaked for five days, then fermented at 28-32 deg C. After six days post-ferment maceration it was pressed off into 30% new French oak barriques. After 10 months it was blended, fined using natural milk and egg products, and bottled.

Colour Bright, medium red.

Aroma Plenty of interest on the nose with lifted cherry and spice, fresh hay, ripe plums and a dash of fruitcake/marzipan alongside toasty oak and a whiff of fresh herbs.

Palate The palate shows sweet, supple pinot fruit on entry, with liquorice and leather characters, some spicy, chary oak and light dusty tannins. A supple wine, with good balance and nice persistence of sweet fruit.

Cellaring About five years.

Winemaker Jane Cooper, Matahiwi Estate.

Technical points

Harvest date 14 April, 2008
Bottled 24 March, 2009
Brix at Harvest 23.5
Alcohol 13.0%
TA 5.85
pH 3.48

Production volume 245 Dozen

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