Leah Pinot Noir – 2013

The fruit comes mostly from our clay-rich hillside Raupo Creek vineyard in the Omaka Valley, with a small amount also from the alluvial shingles of our Tatou vineyard and the Noa vineyard, which is made up of Waimakariri type soils of alluvial origin.

• 2013 was an excellent vintage from Marlborough.  A calm spring allowed for even flowering and berry set, and an initially warm summer was tempered by cooler temperatures after veraison – allowing slower maturation of the fruit, encouraging retention of acidity and development of more complex flavor compounds.
• Fruit was hand-sorted, destemmed and cooled.  After pre-fermentation steeping, the juice was warmed and fermented with wild yeast, and the caps hand-plunged daily during fermentation.  The wines was left on skins for 2 weeks of post-ferment maceration, then drained, lightly pressed and transferred to French oak barriques, of which 10% were new.
• The wine went through natural malolactic fermentation during 11 months maturation, before it was bottled unfiltered and unfined.

• Exhibits bright, fragrant berry-fruit aromas, interlaced with spice and herbal notes.
• The wine is focused and concentrated, with a succulent fruit core, framed by fine-grained tannins and a mouth-watering acidity.
• An elegant and understated style with immediate appeal, but structure to last.
• Drink dates:  Now until 2024

• Made from Pinot Noir grapes.
• Vine age – from vines over 20 years on average in 2015.
• Grown on soils of mixed alluvial silt, gravel and clay.
• Fermented in French Oak Barriques using wild yeast.
• Aged in French barriques, approximately 15% new.
• Aged for 11 months.
• Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

• Clones:  115, 777 & 10/5
• Yield:  6 tonnes/hectare
• Oak:  100% oak matured, 10% new
• Bottling date:  1st August 2014
• Alcohol:  13.5%
• RS:  <1g/l
• pH:  3.71
• TA:  5.7g/l