Winery & Vintage Info
The 2017 Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from the late Jim Grigg’s Cemetery Block and its two clones – 114 and MV6, topped up with a parcel of declassified Ashton Hills reserve/estate fruit, while the Blefari-managed Hunter Block plays a supporting role in the final wine. Stephen George has long-harboured an ambition to “showcase Grigg’s fruit and to assess the influence our fruit has on the blend.” The result is a medium bodied palate with the influence of Cemetery Block providing juicy fruit from the warmer clime, along with fine structured tannins that are typical of the Ashton Hills Vineyard.
The 2017 Adelaide Hills growing season commenced with one of the wettest winters on record, pushing back flowering, veraison - and ultimately harvest - by about four weeks on recent years. Fortunately, weather during ripening was dry without excessive heat spikes, leading to full flavour and colour development.
The wine was matured predominantly in seasoned French oak for a period of 12 months prior to bottling.
Grapes were handpicked, keeping individual clones seperate in small open fermenters. Some whole bunch fruit was added to ferments, enhancing aromatics and structural complexity. Fermentation was initiated by indigenous yeast (wild ferment). Each clonal parcel was basket pressed and filled to seasoned French oak barrels with full solids. All barrels were kept on lees to build palate, body and complexity and racked off lees just prior to bottling.
Drink now or cellar for five years for further complexity.
