Kroon Pinot Noir

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The grapes were selected from a single south facing vineyard, with lower solar radiation of 4800wh/m2. Grapes were hand harvested into small crates and spent overnight in a cold room. Extensive bunch sorting by hand prior to destemming occured. Bunches are destemmed without crushing, with 8% whole bunch for complexity. Grapes cold soaked for 5-7 days prior to the start of fermentation. Fermentation occurs naturally in open top fermenters. A combination of gentle punchdowns and pumpovers by hand 2 times per day, depending on requirements are used during fermentation where temperature peaks at 32°C.

A cool winter ensured good vine dormancy. Rainfall was low, similar to 2015 and 2016. Bud break and flowering took place in ideal warm sunny conditions, and although flowering was a little earlier than usual, crops were slightly bigger with exceptional fruit quality and concentration. An unusually cool December slowed down ripening and rain in January during veraison nourished the soils, enabling the vine to focus on ripening the fruit, rather than the foliage and root growth. Grapes were harvested from late February to mid-March. A drier year resulted in low disease pressure, phenolic ripeness and pristine fruit with high natural acidity and an intensity of fruit flavours. The dry vintages provided the intensity whilst the cool spell in December prolonged the ripening period providing the signature elegance marked by the 2017 vintage.

The wines were transferred to 500L and 300L French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (18% new wood, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill). Maturation in oak was for 12 months, on the lees for the full period. After ageing for 12 months in barrel, the wines were racked and blended in stainless steel tank. The wines were clarified naturally for a period of 2 months before bottling.