Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir
Appellation:Yarra Valley
Vineyard/s:Applejack
Closure :Screw Cap (Stelvin)
Cellaring:1 - 10 years
Vineyard
Applejack Vineyard is owned by highly respected viticulturist Ray Guerin and managed by his son Mark. This vineyard is situated in the Upper Yarra Valley and has similar growing conditions and challenges to that of the Gladysdale Vineyard. Applejack Vineyard is located on a dramatic slope and is close planted and meticulously managed.
Season
A very rewarding season in well managed vineyards. Spring rain gave us healthy canopies. Mild summer days with plentiful warmth and sunshine - thankfully without the heat spikes of warmer vintages - and an Indian summer that stretched into April were perfect for ripening late in the season. Fruit conditions across our vineyards was excellent, and wine quality across the board is very high. Applejack Pinot Noir blocks cropped at <2 t/acre.
Vinification
All our vineyards are handpicked and hand sorted. This wine was assembled from two parcels of fruit, one of which was 100% whole bunch ferment, the second 100% de-stemmed to whole berries. Both parcels were given a cold soak for 5 days but the whole bunch ferment commenced fermenting after 3 days so it was allowed to warm and progress naturally, with just a few foot stomp 'pigeages' towards the end of fermentation. The whole berry parcel was basically left alone, apart from several aerative drain and returns to assist in maintaining a healthy indigenous fermentation. Ferment temperatures peaked at about 32 deg C in both vats. Once the ferments were dry, the vats were emptied into airbag press and pressed to tank. After a short settling, the wine was racked off gross lees to oak for indigenous malolactic fermentation. No fining, no filtration. 3 racking's were performed for clarity before gravity bottling. Oak use - all French Burgendy coopers 28% new oak, 19% 1 year old, 53% older. New oak is Tarransaud and Saury. Time in Oak - 11 months
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