Deep ruby. Perfumed, alluring open and fresh berry fruits, earth, custard, sandalwood and lead. Supple sensual fruit on the palate with supporting tannin. Soft but structural, crisp and mineral. Salivating. Drink now to 2025

Vineyard

This Black Estate Home Pinot Noir was grown on our Home Vineyard located 6 kilometres north east of the Waipara Junction, in the Omihi sub-district of Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. This is a north facing sedimentary clay fan on a gentle hill side slope. The soils are mainly Awapuni clay with calcium carbonate deposits. The un-grafted Pinot Noir vines are predominantly 10-5 clone and were planted in 1994 at a vine density of 1841 vines per hectare. The new planting completed in 2011 has 2.0ha planted at 6177 vine/ha with 115, 667, 828, 943, Abel, and UCD5 clones. Organic and biodynamic farming practices have been used since 2010. Home Vineyard became fully certified organic with BioGro in March 2017.

Season

A dry mild winter meant a continuation of the drought in the north Canterbury region. Normally green hills were pale and drying off early except for early green shoots in hillside vineyards. Late spring frosts lowered yields in some vineyards and added to the stress on the vines as canopies were established. Un-seasonally heavy rainfall in January provided some reprieve from the drought and the vines around the valley sprung to life pushing young shoot tips and completing canopy establishment. Dry conditions returned and continued into late Autumn allowing gradual and even ripening of fruit with very little disease pressure. Despite the early season challenges vintage 2016 ended with balanced, ripe, and disease free fruit making harvest.

Harvest

Hand harvested from March 21 to April 14 2016.

10.8 Ton Yield = 0.94kg/vine Brix 22.5 TA 8.0 g/ L MA 2.2g/L pH 3.40

Fermentation

Hand harvested fruit was 97% de-stemmed without crushing giving an average of 75% whole berry. Inoculated using vineyard derived yeast the wine fermented for 28 days in 0.5 to 2.5 ton open top fermenters. The vats were plunged using hand and foot two times per day during the peak of ferment. Each vat was pressed individually using a basket press. The wines were matured in 228L French Barrels for 12 months, 0% were new. The wine was then racked from barrel, blended and settled in tank for 5 months and then bottled without fining or filtration.

Bottled

743 dozen 750ml bottles bottled in one lot under screw cap on September 20 2017.

R.S 0.8 g/L TA 4.8 g/L pH 3.78 Dry extract 27.0 g/L Alcohol 12.5% VA 0.67g/L Total SO2 40ppm