Mt Difficulty Single Vineyard Mansons Farm Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2016
Tasting Notes
Mansons Farm Pinot Noir is hand crafted in very limited quantities. Our 2016 is medium ruby red in colour with a bouquet of black cherry, savoury brown spice, and notes of baronial flower. On the palate, a dense, dark berry entry and hints of spice are supported by an elegant tannin structure.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
Mt. Difficulty Mansons Farm Pinot Noir will improve for 10 - 15 years given optimal cellaring conditions.
Vintage Notes
VINTAGE 2016
The 2016 growing season was marked by an extended unstable weather pattern from October through March. Lower than average rainfall coupled with unusually warm days through spring led to an early bud burst and flowering. In January, a cool, windy system slowed down the vines’ progress and delayed verasion. A very warm February was followed by an uncharacteristically overcast March. Finally, April delivered ample sunshine and stable conditions. Ultimately, we began picking later than usual but harvest was condensed to just 24 days.
WINEMAKING CONSIDERATIONS
The fruit for this wine was harvested from our Mansons Farm vineyard on the 14th and 15th of April. All of the grapes were destemmed prior to 9 days of prefermentation maceration (at about 10°C) and a 9-10 day fermentation (at about 30°C). The wine remained on skins an additional 8 days with a maximum of one punch-down each day. After pressing, the wine was settled overnight before being racked to barrel. The wine was aged 15 months in French oak (27% new) and was racked out of barrel in mid-August. The wine was bottled in November 2017 without fining or filtration.
Alc. 14.2% T/A 4.9 gL pH 3.73 Residual Sugar <1 gL/1
Accolades & Awards
95 Points, James Suckling NZ Tasting Report 2019
