2015 Burn Cottage Valli Vineyard Pinot Noir

Burn Cottage

New Zealand / Central Otago / Burn Cottage

One of Burn Cottage's dear friends in Central Otago is Grant Taylor, the former winemaker of Gibbston Valley Vineyards and proprietor of Valli Vineyards, one of the great Central Otago producers. Over the course of several months in 2013 Burn Cottage and Valli decided it would be fun to swap grapes from each other’s estate vineyard and make the wines. This is the third year of this collaboration. There's arguably no finer vineyard in the Gibbston region than Grant’s; the professionalism, care and love which go into the management of this site are exemplary.
The vines have an average age of 16 years, planted to a density of 4050 vines/Ha. The Pinot Noir clones are UCD5, UCD6, Dijon 115 and Dijon 777. Pinot Noir grapes (clones UCD5, UCD6, Dijon 115 and Dijon 777) were harvested by hand on 20th April 2015 with an average Brix of 22.4. The ferment contained 23% whole clusters and the fruit spent an average of 17 days in the fermenter. Matured in Damy barrels, with 25% new oak. Alcohol 13%; pH 3.75; TA 4g/L.

May, 2018

Bob Campbell MW

The Real Review

96 points

Made from grapes grown on 16-year-old vines on Valli's Gibbston Vineyard and fermented using 25% whole cluster. Quite a dense, powerful Pinot Noir, with impressive fruit purity and a taut and lingering finish. Bright red cherry, violet, anise, new leather and fresh herb flavours. A high energy wine with a perfectly pitched balance of sweet fruit, acidity and fine peppery tannins. Delicious now but will age well.

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About Burn Cottage

Chicago wine importer Marquis Savage fell in love with Central Otago on what was meant to be a quick tour of the region. Falling in love meant purchasing 24 hectares in the Cromwell basin, which were subsequently planted with clones specific to soil type and in accordance with biodynamic principles. Enlisted to help in this task was Ted Lemon of Littorai, who brought with him more than three decades of practical knowledge of terroir winegrowing based on experience in Burgundy, California and Oregon. Ted continues to define the path of the wines, whose reputation has justly spread far and wide - and fast. Claire Mullholland, formerly of Martinborough Vineyards and Amisfield, takes care of the day-to-day winemaking duties.
Biodynamic producer

About

Ted's a lifelong winemaker who began his career by receiving an Oenology degree from the Université de Dijon in 1981. He worked at many prestigious estates in Burgundy: Domaine Georges Roumier; Domaine Bruno Clair; Domaine Parent; Domaine De Villaine; Domaine Delorme; and Domaine Dujac. He was the first American ever selected as winemaker and vineyard manager of a Burgundian estate, at Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, and remained in Burgundy until 1984. Upon returning to the US, Ted became the founding winemaker of Chateau Woltner on Howell Mountain. Since then he's been consultant to a number of prominent wineries and in the early '90s he and wife Heidi founded their own venture, Littorai, where they focus on making top-notch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.