Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Pinot Noir 2018 (Mornington Peninsula)

Heavier than normal winter rains and cooler temperatures delayed budburst (our second latest) but warmer spring weather resulted in perfect conditions for flowering leading to very good fruit set and promising high yields. In fact, particularly down the hill, crop adjustment was required to ensure even maturity and high quality outcomes. Grapes matured with optimum sugar, flavour and tannin development resulting in high quality parcels from all sites. It was our third earliest harvest, leading to our shortest ever hang time (budburst-harvest 179 days against an average of 203 days).

Hand picked 28 February-22 March 2018.

Pinot Noir Clones: Coolart Road (63%), McCutcheon (18%), Wallis (12%), Judd (7%) :: 115 (50%), MV6 (24%), 777 (9%), 667 (6%), Pommard (4%), 114 (4%), G5V15 (3%)

Grapes hand-harvested late February to late March. 100% destemmed, with an aim of retaining about 30% whole berries, and transferred to 5 tonne concrete tanks. Held cold for a few days to delay start of indigenous yeast ferment which then typically runs for 14-21 days. Cap management by pump over with some plunging towards the end of the ferment. Following pressing, the wine was transferred to 20% new 228 litre French oak barrels for 9 months. Natural 100% malolactic fermentation before bottling unfined and filtered. Winery Notes