Sourced from the Strathmore Vineyard in Sutherlands Creek—one of the warmer, drier sites in the Moorabool Valley. Planted across 1998 and 2015 to MV6 and Abel clones, the vineyard sits on grey and brown loams with fragmented granite.
Fruit was handpicked and fermented with varying levels of whole bunch across different ferments. Open
fermentations with wild yeasts included two pump-overs per day and 9 to 12 days on skins before pressing to oak for natural malolactic fermentation. The final blend includes 20% whole bunch. 30% was matured in new French oak, with the balance in seasoned puncheons and barriques. Bottled unfined and with minimal filtration.
“My favourite block of Pinot Noir that comes into the winery and there is nothing else like it in Geelong.
Interplanted clones, and hard to determine exactly what they are as the owners don’t even know, but majority of MV6 from working with this site for 5 years now. I think this makes the most exciting Pinot in the range.
Always higher acid, and really aromatic. I find 20 to 25% whole bunch fermentation on this block has worked the best and with looking at the fruit that comes off this site every year it seems to be where it always sits. The most delicate Pinot and showcases the site perfectly. Close planted and always has a very long ripening period, which gives such delicate and fine tannin, and great fruit complexity. Oak use is very much the spicy/savoury end and medium toast, and very tight grain” – Ben Mullen