Pinot Noir 2019. single vineyard off 25 year vines. Basket Pressed. Vegan Friendly

DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE Les Baudes 1er Cru, Chambolle-Musigny Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.

DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE Estournelles St. Jacques 1er cru, Gevrey-Chambertin Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.

Domaine Vaiveley, Clos de Vougeot This exceptional Grand Cru wine comes off a 1.287 ha parcel of the famous 50.12 ha walled “Clos de Vougeot” vineyard in the commune of Vougeot. This vineyard dates back to 1336 when the Monks of Cîteaux created the Clos. The vineyard has an east to south-easterly aspect with shallow soils. Grapes are hand harvested and undergo a short pre-fermentation maceration before being fermented in large wooden vats. After three week fermentation, the wine is gently pressed using a vertical press before being matured in up to 70% fine-grained new French oak barrels for 16-18 months. 'Faiveley is one of the best and most consistent sources of fine Burgundy and one which should continue to set the standards for both negociants and growers .'- The Great Domaines of Burgundy

This tiny vineyard is one of Australia’s most southerly located in the Huon valley in southern Tasmania. So to the name, where does that come from? There was a handwritten sign on the wall at the Red Velvet Lounge in Cygnet, our local coffee and cake respite from the Tasmanian weather. It said, “Sailor Seeks Horse” and went on to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and ridden across the US from coast to coast and back again…on a mule. He’d then decided he wanted to travel around Tasmania by horse but didn’t have one. So, was there anyone who would lend him one? If they didn’t have a horse then a pony would do. It was an idea that resonated with us. Here we were, trying to do something a little bit crazy, without much money and requiring a little bit of help to get to where we wanted to be. Paul and Gilli Lipscombe own the vineyard and make the wines and both have considerable vineyard and winemaking experience behind them including winning the Jimmy Watson trophy for Home Hill where they have been the winemakers in recent years. From working together in the Languedoc to New Zealand, Oregon and Margaret River they spent a lot of time researching and considering the best possible vineyard site with the aim to produce Australia’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay finally settling on this ideal north facing vineyard which is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds. Best described as a warm site within a cool climate, the soil is free-draining quartz inflected mudstone soil over clay. The vineyard is planted to a large variety of Dijon clones as well as numerous other clones planted by the previous owners and all vineyard work is done as organically as possible. In 2019 a new planting including some Trousseau has been made on the steep north-west facing slope beside the main vineyard block. Even though the 2022 season fell into another La Nina event, there was good rainfall early on and then, as seems normal these days, the tap was turned off in the new year. A fairly pleasant, dry, if not particularly sunny summer with a return to more typical yields compared to 20/21/23. After the previous two years the were able to use more fermenters in the winery with the fruit tasting great and the end of the season finishing off ripening nicely. As the wines developed in barrel some blends were tasted and discovered a combination of the three low-yielding Dijon clones (115, 114 and 777) resulted in a higher-toned, more spice-driven wine with a slightly denser palate weight than the normal Pinot. So they decided to bottle it separately.

Product Information: The 25th vintage in Gibbston delivered idyllic conditions providing the opportunity to make exceptional wines including this commemorative cuvee from their own Estate, one that beautifully articulates in the glass everything Grant and Jen love about Gibbston Pinot Noir. This slightly warmer season shows density and concentration with amazing finesse; perfume; fragrance; fine tannin; bright fruit and delectable earthiness. The wines receive 25% whole bunch, there's 25 days of total maceration. The wine spends 11.5 months in 29% new oak by Ana Selection and François Frères. Maker: Valli is the personal vocation of pioneering winemaker Grant Taylor a name that's synonymous with Otago Pinot Noir. He has been crafting wines there since 1993 when there were only 20 ha planted – today there are over 2000. Grant founded Valliin 1998 with the intention to produce single vineyard Pinot Noirs highlighting the different characteristics of Otago’s sub regions. More than 20 years later, Valli is doing just that, producing single-vineyard pinot noirs from Gibbston, Bannockburn, and Bendigo in Central Otago and the Waitaki Valley in North Otago, as well as a dry Pinot Gris from Gibbston and a Riesling from Waitaki. In 2015, established Otago winemaker Jen Parr joined Grant in the winery, where the two aim to create wines with honesty, integrity, and most of all, a sense of place. When you drink a Valli wine, you are enjoying more than just a wine: you are experiencing a place. Vineyard: Just off the Gibbston Highway in Central Otago, this vineyard embraces a semi excellences a semi-continental climate, at altitudes ranging from 320 to 475 meters, the vines thrive with a composition of Dijon clones. They draw sustenance from alluvial loess atop firm river gravels and colluviums, while being free draining. Planted in year 2000, managing a relatively dense 4,040 per hectare the yields are kept to a low 5 tonnes per hectare. Producing wines of extraordinary character and depth of flavour. Nose - Herbaceous, Raspberry, Sweet Spices The nose is elegantly presented, with a whiff of medicinal/ herbaceous nuance, unfolding Bing cherry, strawberry, raspberry, hibiscus, vanilla and spices. Palate - Cherry, Hibiscus, Thyme Medium-bodied aromas of strawberry, cherry and raspberry intertwined with hibiscus, vanilla, and cinnamon, along with thyme, vine leaf and a suggestion of liquorice. Ripe acidity laces the palate, and dusty tannin lightly adorns and carries a captivating closing. A graceful Pinot Noir shows deep nuances and balanced spice on a refined, dusty mouthfeel. Finish - Briary, Licorice, Savoury Wood Spices A graceful Pinot Noir shows deep nuances and balanced spice on a refined, dusty mouthfeel.

Ata Rangi’s Kotinga Pinot Noir received its inaugural release with the 2020 vintage. The vineyard, established in 2001 on the edge of the Martinborough terrace, is a free-draining site planted to Dijon clones 115, 667, and 777. Kotinga is a high-energy wine that’s made to show off its bright fruits—cherry, currant, plum—supple tannins, and sleek, fluid acidity. Kotinga is fermented with indigenous yeasts and 40% whole bunches. After two to three weeks in tank, the wine is pressed, and malolactic fermentation is completed in oak. For 11 months, Kotinga is aged in very large 2280 litre foudre, rather than small barriques, to preserve the naturally bright character of Dijon clone pinot noir grown in gravelly soil.

Ata Rangi’s Masters Pinot Noir received its inaugural release with the 2020 vintage. The vineyard, owned and farmed by Ata Rangi winemaker Helen Masters, lies just four kilometres south of the Martinborough terrace. Here, clay is naturally found throughout the gravelly soil and it helps to retain moisture, and keep temperatures cooler than typical Martinborough terroir. Masters is a kaleidoscopic expression of pinot noir, featuring aromas of mulberry, baking spices, rosewater, and blood orange, and a palate of rich fruit, pomegranate, nutmeg, and pink peppercorn. The influence of clay soils provides Masters with its expansive, signature texture. Masters is fermented with indigenous yeasts and 70% whole bunches. After two to three weeks in tank, the wine is pressed, and malolactic fermentation is completed in oak. Masters is aged in French oak (30% new) for 11 months, before it is blended, and then held for a further eight months before it is bottled.