Giant Steps Fatal Shore Pinot Noir 2022 (Tasmania)

The 2022 season in Tasmania started cold and wet, with delayed budburst and flowering due to cold weather. Plant growth was slow due to cool conditions all the way up until just prior to flowering, when some well-timed heat spurred the vines along. Flowering was late, but consistent, going though in two weeks. Lots of shoot and crop thinning was done throughout the season, as well as some extensive leaf plucking due to the cool conditions. It was a very mild summer with only two days over 33 degrees Celsius experienced at the vineyard, which meant a long and slow ripening. The grapes were picked late for our vineyard, coming in on 22nd of April.

Locatied in Coal River Valley with North-east facing aspect. 34 Hectares planted in 1999. Soil is Calcareous & Triassic sandstone. In our obsession with Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs from great Pinot growing areas around the world, we have gone as far south (and as cold) as you can go in this country. Despite the cool temperatures, the sunlight hours are long and intense and we are intrigued by the depth of palate and colour that is possible from this landscape. While it is made with the Giant Steps gentle winemaking approach, the result is clearly a world apart in terroir. The Pinot Noir from Nocton vineyard have amazing density and texture, with powerful weight and concentration.

Hand picked, straight into a refrigerated container parked on the vineyard. The fruit is then immediately driven to Devonport and sailed across Bass Strait so we receive it into the winery the following morning. Fruit was de-stemmed and cold soaked for three – four days in open oak vats and open stainless steel fermenters. The MV6 (from the top of the hill) was fermented as whole bunches in an oak fermenter. Both parcels were matured in French oak – 25% new, 75% older – for eight months in 225L barriques D&J, Vicard and Taransaud. Racked to blend, no fining, no filtration. Bottled by gravity. Winery Notes