Garagiste Le Stagiaire Pinot Noir 2023 (Mornington Peninsula)

Merricks North again takes a lead role here, accounting for 33% of the blend, with the balance Balnarring (40%), Red Hill (17%) and Merricks Grove (10%). In previous years, the Stagiaire Pinot Noir has been all MV6 clone. The inclusion of the Merricks North site brings Dijon clones (114 and 115) into play, which lend a distinct, pretty plushness and perfumed nuance to MV6’s natural structure and power.

The Merricks Grove site, Barney’s flagship, contributes bright fruit characters and a signature savoury quality. The Balnarring site, which Barney has farmed for 12 years, adds shade and spice, while the higher, cooler, more southerly site in Red Hill contributes linear drive. After sorting in the vineyard and winery, spontaneous fermentations took place in concrete and stainless steel with whole berries complemented by a 15% whole-bunch component. The fruit spent 23 days on skins, with gentle pump-overs and a small amount of plunging towards the end. The wine matured for seven months on gross lees divided equally between 300-litre hogsheads and foudre, with just 5% new oak. It was bottled un-fined and unfiltered. Winery Notes