SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE PINOT NOIR NEW ZEALAND

Winemaking:

At the winery each batch (or vineyard) was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help with colour and flavour extraction. The juice was then inoculated with yeast for the primary alcoholic fermentation and hand plunged up to eight times daily during the height of fermentation. When dry each batch was pressed to tank, settled and then racked off gross lees to either stainless steel tanks or a mixture of new and older seasoned French oak. The wine underwent 100 per cent malolactic fermentation before being blended, fined, lightly filtered and gently prepared for bottling.

Viticulture:

The fruit was sourced from a number of specifically chosen low cropping vineyards from the Southern Valleys region of the Wairau Plain. Leading up to harvest each vineyard was closely monitored and tasted to determine when the flavours were at their optimum and harvested in the cool of the morning.