Villa Maria `Cellar Selection` Pinot Noir 2009 (6x750mL), Marlborough, NZ

Winery Tasting Notes

Aroma

A scented bouquet of red and dark cherries, black plum and spice notes.

Palate

This wine is concentrated and rich displaying long layers of flavour, subtle wild thyme notes, integrated acidity and fine grainy tannins. An elegant Pinot Noir, exhibiting finesse and complexity with underlying structure and a silky texture.

Cellaring Potential

This wine can be enjoyed now but with careful cellaring will continue to develop for another five to eight years.

Food Matching

Red and white meats including lamb, duck and wild game.

Vintage Condition

The 2009 vintage was characterised by intermittent rain through the spring and early summer which facilitated excellent vine vitality. An exceptionally dry sunny harvest period optimised flavour potential and concentration.

Winemaking Note

Small parcels of selected Pinot Noir clones were individually hand harvested, destemmed and cold soaked for a period of up to ten days. A mix of both indigenous and cultured yeasts were employed to carry out primary alcoholic fermentation where the cap was hand plunged four times daily to ensure soft extraction of the fruit. Temperatures during this period peaked at 32oC to intensify the flavour, colour and mouthfeel. Each batch was pressed to French barriques and rested on full lees over winter until spring when malolactic fermentation occurred before being blended and stabilised in late February.