SITE
This vineyard at Little Hampton near Trentham sits at 720m above sea level, and is one of the coolest in the Macedon Ranges. It was a long cool growing season in the Macedon Ranges. A settled flowering led to good crop levels. Careful canopy management and crop thinning were required. A late summer with warm days and cool nights allowed fruit to reach is full flavour ripeness, with fine tannins.
WINEMAKING
Hand harvested fruit was carefully sorted and destemmed with 100% whole berries into small open fermenters. Natural fermentation occurred with daily hand plunging to extract fine tannins and flavour. After two weeks on skins the wine was pressed then racked into new (30%) and used French hogsheads. The wine was then blended and filtered prior to bottling in February 2018. pH 3.64; TA 5.3g/L; Alcohol 13.5%
Deep purple with a deep crimson hue. Floral violets and rose petal waft from the glass, bolstered by blueberry and raspberry fruits. Further complexities reveal themselves, such as cinnamon, cherry sap and sarsaparilla. Mineral aspects including gunpowder and graphite provide intrigue. Given time in the glass the Little Hampton’s signature aromatics intensify. Blue fruits, citrus flesh and wild sage spill immediately onto the palate. A focused and mineral core has drive, vibrancy and poise. Fine and lacy tannins frame the complex cardamom spice and subtle fruits. The wine has energy and lift that can only been seen in high altitude, cool climate Pinot Noir. This Little Hampton Pinot Noir is uncompromising in its purity and identity. - Al Timms, Shadowfax