Gift Horse 2018

This is a very small vineyard – 0.4 ha. We keep the crop very low, only allowing one bunch per shoot. The rest we sacrifice to the soil, the porcupines and mountain buck. The porcupine in particular have a feast. Then we only bottle this wine in the rare years when it is spectacular. In years when it’s just great, we don’t bother. Many consider this single vineyard offering the essence of the Estate. We agree that it is an intriguing, delicious wine that quenches both physical and mental thirsts.

Picked on 22 February 2021; destemmed under CO2 to open top stainless steel fermenter; Cold soak at <12°C for 4 days with daily pump overs under CO2; warm up; natural fermentation without added yeast lasted 4 days with 3-4 x daily gentle punch downs; post fermentation maceration followed, pressed using a traditional basket press.

Light rack to barrel after 24 hours settling; matured in oak barrels for 14 months. 3 rackings prior to course sheet filtration before bottling in 20 May 2022.