Wine Article
2021 Felton Road Pinot Noir Vin Gris
Last edited on 3/30/2022 by LindsayM
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Tasting Note
Pale rose gold in colour and made from saignéed (to bleed off), free run Pinot Noir juice from Cornish Point. Only a small amount made and only in specific vintages, with the last being 2016. The varietal notes of Pinot Noir are definitely evident in this gently fruited and broadly textured wine. It’s hard not to think of brunch and fine summer days.
Vintage
After a moderate winter with normal rainfall, budburst occurred in late-September. Flowering occurred in early December with some rain and temperatures hovering around average. A period of cool evenings raised concerns of a potential poor set. Significant rainfall at the beginning of January and further rain in the middle of the month resulted in more than double the monthly rainfall. This wetter period throughout the phase of cell division resulted in generally larger berries and made-up for potentially lower bunch weights from the uneven flowering conditions. The weather stabilised in February with warmer and much drier conditions; which continued throughout the leadup, and until the conclusion of harvest.
Vinification
Vin Gris (vahn gree) is made from Pinot Noir juice and is only produced in certain vintages, where larger than desired berries occur. A small amount of free-run juice is immediately separated from Pinot Noir tanks as destemming occurs to prevent colour pick-up. This has the effect to help restore a better skin to juice ratio for the remaining Pinot Noir wine. Fermentation in stainless steel tank with indigenous yeast, followed by indigenous maloactic and ageing on the gross yeast lees; built palate weight and complexity. Bottled after coarse filtration only in early-September.
Pale rose gold in colour and made from saignéed (to bleed off), free run Pinot Noir juice from Cornish Point. Only a small amount made and only in specific vintages, with the last being 2016. The varietal notes of Pinot Noir are definitely evident in this gently fruited and broadly textured wine. It’s hard not to think of brunch and fine summer days.
Vintage
After a moderate winter with normal rainfall, budburst occurred in late-September. Flowering occurred in early December with some rain and temperatures hovering around average. A period of cool evenings raised concerns of a potential poor set. Significant rainfall at the beginning of January and further rain in the middle of the month resulted in more than double the monthly rainfall. This wetter period throughout the phase of cell division resulted in generally larger berries and made-up for potentially lower bunch weights from the uneven flowering conditions. The weather stabilised in February with warmer and much drier conditions; which continued throughout the leadup, and until the conclusion of harvest.
Vinification
Vin Gris (vahn gree) is made from Pinot Noir juice and is only produced in certain vintages, where larger than desired berries occur. A small amount of free-run juice is immediately separated from Pinot Noir tanks as destemming occurs to prevent colour pick-up. This has the effect to help restore a better skin to juice ratio for the remaining Pinot Noir wine. Fermentation in stainless steel tank with indigenous yeast, followed by indigenous maloactic and ageing on the gross yeast lees; built palate weight and complexity. Bottled after coarse filtration only in early-September.