Danbury Ridge Pinot Noir 2020

VINTAGE NOTES
The 2020 vintage was the second harvest at the Danbury Ridge winery and was one of many extremes. The growing season began with a high frequency of frost events in April, where potential damage was carefully mitigated by Vineyard Management. Despite these cold night-time temperatures, very warm, dry, sunny daytime conditions resulted in the earliest veraison seen in the region in the past decade.
Record levels of ripening were achieved as the start of September experienced a late summer heatwave before rain arrived, replenishing soil nutrients and producing healthy, vigorous vines. For the Pinot Noir, this cooler weather and rain that followed allowed the clusters to develop complex flavours whilst maintaining acidity. The quality of the Chardonnay was exceptional, and the resulting wines are once again full of flavour and vibrancy.
VINIFICATION
After handpicking and sorting, the fruit was gently destemmed without crushing to maintain whole berries. The grapes were then gravity-fed into open-top oak fermenters for 3 to 5 days cold soak. Temperatures were allowed to increase naturally, and the cap received just one to two punch downs per day. Some vats also received extended skin maceration. The wine was transferred to French oak barrels for MLF, battonage and 10 months ageing, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
THE VINEYARDS
Fruit for the 2020 Pinot Noir was carefully selected from across the Danbury Ridge estate. Despite their close proximity, the three estate vineyards display a rich and varied geology with individual mesoclimates. Glaciofluvial deposits of sandy gravel dominate the easterly Polo Field while loamy, carbonate rich clay of the estate’s Sleipnir Block reins exclusively to the west.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION • Barrel aged:
100% French oak for
10 months
• pH: 3.5
• TA: 5.3 g/L • Alcohol: 13%
TASTING NOTE
An expressive bouquet of ripe fruits, orange blossom and forest floor are beautifully showcased in this Pinot Noir. There is an elegance that lends itself to the palate with fresh acidity, plush, velvety tannins and a long lasting finish.