2023 Gilbert Pinot Noir

The carbonic maceration 30%) component spent 7 days in a sealed up vessel where fermentation commenced enzymatically inside the berry itself. This ferment was then turned into a whole cluster ferment where we foot crushed the fruit increased extraction whilst allowing for the remaining sugars to be fermented by wild yeast. This component spent 35 days on skins. The whole berry component(70%) was cold soaked for 3 days and gently pumped over. Once fermentation commenced, the fermenting juice was pumped over twice daily through a screen in open fermentation, for long slow gentle extraction.

Red cherry, strawberry, quite a lot of peppery spice, red capsicum, some mint and amaro quality. It’s light to medium-bodied, frisky and fresh, kind of sappy too, but it pops with energy, all that ripe strawberry and spice, a lick of dusty graphite tannin, with a juicy blood orange and fennel-laced finish of excellent length. So vital and refreshing. It’s different, but so very good to drink. And plus one point for that! - 94 points, Gary Walsh