Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir 2009

The picturesque Cheviot Hills in North Canterbury, an as yet undiscovered winegrowing area between Christchurch and Kaikoura, had never been home to a significant vineyard before the Mt Beautiful team saw its potential for growing premium grapes.
In 2004, they planted the first vines on our property’s interlaced series of tablelands above the Waiau River to catch optimum sun. The remarkably uniform silt loam Phoebe topsoil means they achieve very even fruit ripeness across the vineyard. The Mt Beautiful vineyard was purposely developed in harmony with the topography, creating a distinctive vineyard tapestry of contrasts, colours and contours.
Tasting description:
Winemaking:
The fruit for this Pinot Noir was de-stemmed and gravity fed to tank. Blocks were fermented separately, but as blends of different clones to add complexity and aid integration of flavours. Ten days of cold soaking were followed by a fast ferment, with plunging twice a day to achieve an aromatic wine with good tannin stability. After a week of post-ferment maceration, the grapes were pressed, with free-run and pressings combined. The wine was then aged for 11 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which were new, producing a wine of appealing complexity.

• Print
• RSS
• Email to a Friend