Ernest Pinot Noir

Please note: Award stickers are applied at the producer's discretion and may not be present on all bottles.

The chilled grapes were all sorted by hand before destemmed and gravity fed into fermenters. Processed and gravity fed into small open top fermenters to ensure gentle cap submersion during fermentation. The grapes were partly inoculated with selected yeast strains and the remaining was left to run wild with native yeast strains. Gentle punch downs used when required, softly pressed at 1°B, left to settle in stainless steel tank.

The 2023-2024 wine growing season was marked by resilience and promise. While a devastating September 2023 storm ravaged roads and scarred mountains, our vineyards emerged unscathed, protected by cover crops and drainage systems. This event reinforced our deep respect for nature's power. The season began with an early bud break, followed by a spring of favourable temperatures. As summer progressed with warmer temperatures, berry sizes trended smaller than average, which resulted in concentrated flavours and aromas. Despite the dramatic prelude, the growing season proceeded smoothly to an intensely flavourful vintage that showcases both the challenges and triumphs of this remarkable year.

Kept in 228L French oak barrels for 3 months before racked and returned to same barrels for a further 8 months using 27% new wood.