Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes
Bright ruby-red. On the nose, there’s pomegranate, raspberry,
a hint of redskin lolly and a warming sweet cardamon and star
anise-like spice. The palate gives way to the sinewy savouriness
of Rising’s Bad Earth: Wet rock, blue stones, some semi-cured
meats; which sit alongside a touch of old-school super fragrant
strawberries and that sweet-sour pomegranate thang with lacy
tannins gently weaving right the way through. The acid holds it
all together, but folds subtly into the background. Svelte with
all the right soft bits - this release is plusher than the 2020, but
there’s no Covid-enhanced dad-bod in sight.
Vintage
Vintage at Rising Vineyard started on 23rd February, almost
two weeks later than 2020. This later picking was due to mild
temperatures and a huge amount of rain through January. These
conditions allowed the grapes plenty of time to accumulate lots
of flavour whilst retaining moderate alcohols – 12.5 to 13% on
average. 2021 was a goldilocks vintage where everything was just
right; the resultant wines can be consumed young or cellared for
a while—a vintage of balance, energy, and flavour.
Vineyard
A blend of four blocks f rom the Rising Vineyard in St Andrews –
MV6 clone from Hill block, 114 clone from 425 block, 115 clone
from 425 block and MV6 from Caledonia South block. Handpicked
over ten days in March 2021. The age of vines varies from
11 to 26 years old.
Vinification
Most blocks were separated into smaller ferments so multiple
techniques could be applied to each parcel of fruit, e.g.,
completely destemmed versus 20% whole bunch. Each open pot
fermenter was initially wrapped up in the presence of carbon
dioxide to let the indigenous yeast do their thing ie, ferment.
Once fermenting away, each pot got a gentle pump-over or
plunge once a day until sugar dry. Some were pressed at this
point, while others were left (wrapped up again) for an extended
maceration. The overall blend has approx 10% whole bunch and
was on skins for an average of 12 days. The wine was pressed of f
to French oak hogsheads (20% new) for malo and maturation for
seven months. Bot t led unfined and unfiltered.
