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Details
Heretaunga
Our Heretaunga vineyard lies on an old river bed formed by the Ngaruroro River. Situated in the Bridge Pa Triangle, the organically run vineyard has a combination of hot daytime temperatures and relatively warm nights, perfectly suited to ripening Syrah.
A free draining sandy loam covers a deep bed of alluvial gravels with interspersed layers of volcanic pumice.
Season
La Nina dominated the 2023 growing season, creating volatile weather patterns, and a cool Spring and Summer period that never saw a day over 30 degrees. Late January and early February saw some extremely wet periods culminating in cyclone Gabrielle. We were lucky that most of our vineyards escaped the worst and the vineyard guys were right on their game.
A somewhat Indian summer followed, which eased the pressure and allowed our fruit to ripen perfectly and slowly with fine and restrained flavours.
Winemaking
Syrah – 100% - Clone 470
15% of the fruit was added as whole bunches to the bottom of a small open top fermenter. The remaining fruit was destemmed over the top with the aim to maintain as many whole berries as possible.
After a few days of cold soaking, wild fermentation spontaneously started, rising to a maximum temperature of 30 deg C. Over the next 18 days one daily hand plunge was undertaken before pressing to tank. A week of settling in tank was followed by an aerative rack straight to older French oak puncheons and barriques.
Malolactic fermentation progressed over the next few months and once completed the barrels were kept at relatively cool temperatures of 12 deg C without sulphur. After a total of 9 months of barrel maturation the wine was racked to tank for bottling with a small sulphur addition. No fining or filtration
Alc - 12.0%
A great blend of savoury and fruit characters. Boysenberry, black pepper and violets.
It has a fresh, medium bodied texture with flavours of blackberry and herbs and a finely balanced acidity.