2023 Maipenrai Pinot Noir -SOLD OUT

The winter/spring of 2022 the wettest we have ever experienced at Maipenrai. The little ravine that comes down from the vineyard into Amungula Creek ran for 4 months straight - it normally only runs a few days per year. The spring was consistently cool and wet, and while budburst was, as typical, around October 1st, flowering was almost a month late - around the 20th of December. We were very diligent on our sprays and remained disease free in what was by far and away the coolest year at Maipenrai since our establishment in 2000. The year finished up thankfully warmish and relatively dry, and in the end, the grapes ripened beautifully with us picking just over 2 tonnes on the 22nd of April (latest vintage ever). Fermented with wild yeasts and 25% whole bunches, we bottled the wine unfined and unfiltered after 23 months in French oak barriques, 30% of which were new.

The 2023 Maipenrai Pinot Noir has a medium ruby colour, with a complex foresty nose. On the palate, it is light to medium bodied, with very fine tannins up front, some cherry fruit and beef jerky and a touch of bitter almond,  and a sleek finish of glycerine and cedary oak.  Very easy to drink now, it will improve over the next 5-10 years if kept well cellared. A sophisticated wine for the burgundy lover rather than a fruit-bomb, it represents a great cool-vintage wine.

Limit one case of 6 per customer