Healesville, Yarra Valley

Pinot Noir

13.1%

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Mostly fruit taken from our ‘View’ vineyard which is right next to the winery on a south facing slope at an elevation of about 300m above sea level. One of the first vineyards planted on the property in 1997, the clone is entirely MV6 planted on its own roots. Mix of red and grey clay with soil depths of around 20-30 cm before hitting the mudstone bedrock. Years of concentrating on healthy soil management are most apparent here with a good amount of organic matter and topsoil having developed both under vine and in the mid row. Full organic certification was achieved from 2022 and unirrigated for the last seven years. 2500 plants per hectare, usually medium vigour and low yields of about 2-3 tons per hectare. Last of our Pinot Noir to ripen usually achieving phenolic ripeness and good concentration of darker fruit whilst still holding natural acidity. 

Some fruit also came from our ‘Orange Block’ vineyard. Despite being at the foot of the slope of the ‘View’ vineyard the soil here is very shallow (<15cm) red clay with siltstone below. Originally planted to MV clones on its own roots at 5000 plants per ha, half this vineyard was burnt in the fires of 2009 and replanted sporadically in 2010 with a whole mix of French clones on American rootstock. The mixed bag means it can be slightly tricky to work and decide on harvest times. Some replants also struggled to establish properly so it is a bit of a mix of vigour and yields and changes from plant to plant. Fully certified organic from 2022, irrigation is used sparsely but necessary for now especially in drier starts to the calendar year. Yields for the whole block are generally low at about 3 tons per hectare. Usually harvested at least a week earlier than the ‘View’ pinot noir to hold onto natural acidity, fruit profile is less concentrated but more delicate and always very pretty. 

Due to very low yields in 2022 the ‘View’ and ‘Orange block’ vineyards were fermented together, the ferment included approximately 30% of whole bunch fruit from the ‘View’ vineyard. Minimal extraction whilst the ferment got going, then daily punch-downs until it was pressed off skins after 21 days. Settled overnight and racked to seasoned 225l French barriques. After 18 months of elevage the wine was racked with a small addition of sulphur. Left to settle for two weeks before being bottled unfined and unfiltered on the 30th of October 2023. 

- Alessandro Stefani Wines