Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir 2011

The growing season was most unusual, with extremely stable spring conditions and no frosts! Flowering was early, fast and very successful across all varieties. Temperatures cooled down in January which set the pattern for a cooler and wetter mid-season. “Wetter” must be read with respect to the normally very low rainfall in Central Otago, so still not a lot of rain! The weather settled for a flawless and warm Indian summer during harvest, with no rainfall at all and harvest commencing early on March 21st. Felton Road view the 2011 wines as being less overtly fruity, with reasonably firm structures and a pleasant kind of rusticity about them. Precision, mineral and tension will be good descriptors for the 2011’s. The grapes are gently de-stemmed directly into open-top fermenters with approximately 20% whole clusters. Traditional fermentation (indigenous yeast) with a moderately long maceration on skins to extract good colour and tannin with considerable depth of tannin. The wine was neither fined nor filtered.

Deep ruby red with purplish, crimson highlights. Bouquet is emphatically expressive….dark fruits leading to background florals, crushed herbs and complex spice. Pure, vibrant and precise. Palate is textured and layered with underlying power befitting a Block 3 Pinot Noir! Drive and poise, a true aristocrat and a struggle to put down. Patience will be rewarded for the profound incarnation that awaits.