The story of each vintage is captured in each of our releases, and the season leading to the 2020 harvest was one the winemaking team will long remember. The Yarra Valley was a relatively fortunate region: a warm December led to a wet January, with weather finally drying up in March. These cooler conditions delayed the start of vintage, and our Pinot Noir was harvested three weeks later than previous vintages. Yields were low (down 50%), but the fruit hand-picked in early March was in good condition – showing vibrant fruit characters, lower Baumé, bright acidity and fine tannins. With so little Pinot Noir to ferment from our four clones (MV6, 114, 115, 777), we released a single estate wine to express the character of Pimpernel Pinot Noir in 2020.
Estate Pinot Noir 2020
$60.00
Tasting Notes
Pale ruby in the glass, the nose is initially dominated by aromas of ripe cherries, red berry fruit and violet florals, which gradually give way to hints of sweet spice, pepper and soil. Complemented by bright acidity and soft tannins, these characters translate beautifully on the palate with wild strawberry fruit, savoury earth and a spicy finish. A well-balanced wine with a fine structure that will continue to evolve with age.
Closure: Diam
Technical Notes
Estate fruit was sourced from our main block with north-facing slope, as a mix of 114, 115, 777 and MV6 clones. Fruit was handpicked at optimal ripeness over several passes, with a very low crop level of under 1.0 tonne per acre. After sorting, fruit was destemmed before transfer to fermentation vessels without crushing. All ferments proceeded in small, open-top stainless-steel vessels using cultured yeast. Some vessels received pre-soak maceration prior to inoculation. Most ferments were whole-berry, to allow carbonic maceration to emphasise bright fruit expression with a rich and rounded textural mouthfeel. Some ferments later included ripe stalks, to develop spice and savoury textures, or underwent extended maceration, to enhance structure and palate weight. Time on skins ranged from 10-30 days. After fermentation, the batches were basket-pressed and transferred by gravity to barrel for élevage. A mix of French oak barriques (30% new), from various coopers and different toast intensities, were selected to compliment the characteristics of this wine. Natural malolactic conversion ensued. After 10 months, the wine was racked from barrel and bottled without fining or filtration (DIAM closure).
Alcohol 12.8% alc/vol.
