Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2019

The Taylor Pass vineyard is warm and sheltered producing an intensely ripe style Pinot Noir that is not typical of the Marlborough region. This wine is a single vineyard expression of the Taylors Pass site, showcasing an intense bouquet of brooding dark cherry and violets meddling with subtle fresh herb notes. A harmony of tannins, with a soft acidity and graphite minerality provide great focus, tension and length to the palate. On the finish there are layers of dark chocolate, dried herbs and spicy oak.

Taylors Pass vineyard sits on the northern bank of the Awatere River, running west to east through the Awatere Valley and out to Clifford Bay in Marlborough. The vineyard is warm, sheltered and protected from the cool southerly breezes that flow down through the valley from the mountains.

Fruit set in the cool spring weather was lower than usual, resulting in the development of open bunches with small flavourful berries. From January onwards, Marlborough experienced a summer of the century, with a spell of long hot dry weather with moderately cool nights providing the perfect environment to ensure physiological and flavour ripeness whilst retaining freshness.

The vineyard is planted on a mixture of soil types. Stony soils contribute fresh floral and red fruit notes, whereas the silt loam soils provide earthy dense tannins, dark berry notes and a soft graphite minerality to the palate.

HARVEST: 100% hand picked FERMENTATION: Indigenous yeast is encouraged FERM. VESSEL: Open top stainless steel, hand plunged