Pinot noir

2008Ocean Eight Pinot Noir

Winemaking

Pinot Noir is regarded throughout the world as one of the most difficult varieties to grow. The Pinot Noir grape has a thin light pigmented skin which makes it vulnerable to hot weather conditions. It is therefore very difficult to find the correct soils and climate to grow this variety. The Mornington Peninsula is a cool climate region with particularly fertile soils. This makes the Peninsula unique in its suitability to grow excellent quality Pinot Noir grapes and is the reason for the fast growing reputation of this region.

The delicate nature of the Pinot Noir grape means that the flavours do not only come from the skins and juice of the berries. The flavour is mostly derived directly from the soils that the vines are planted in. It is therefore extremely important that the vineyard site has been carefully selected for its soil composition which will ultimately determine the flavours in the finished wine.

Vine age is also of the utmost importance as the older the vine becomes, the more developed their root systems are; allowing for a greater expression of flavours – the French call this ‘Terroir’.

With the above in mind, Ocean Eight has done its diligence in selecting its vineyard site. The vines are now 14 years of age and the Ocean Eight Pinot Noir is starting to show true glimpses of fantastic terroir.

The winemaking is a delicate procedure but also very simple. All the Pinot Noir batches are moved by gravity and stored at a constant temperature to make sure the integrity of the wine is not disturbed. To ensure the Pinot Noir has no foreign flavours, the wine is stored in 6-8 year old barrels. This prevents unwanted oak flavours and allows the fruit and savoury characters naturally in the wine to dominate.

The Ocean Eight pinot noir is all about highlighting varietal characters. The Ocean Eight Pinot Noir is all about showing off the capabilities of the Mornington Peninsula and giving our French counterparts a run for their money.

Tasting Note

The 2008 Ocean Eight Pinot Noir has fantastic palate weight. There is a great complexity of fruit flavours red cherries, plums, mulberries and a hint of violets. There are also some beautiful earthy overtones that can be put down to the vineyard soil profile. The most elegant feature of this wine is the silky texture before a lingering finish. The wine matches perfectly with game! Quail, Pigeon or Goose; i.e. Anything with feathers and plenty of flavours.

Recommended Retail Price $40.00