2010 Marchand and Burch Gibraltar Rock Pinot Noir - Tasting Notes

Vintage Conditions
The 2010 vintage was another challenging yet rewarding vintage for the premium, southern grape growing regions of Western Australia.  Winter rainfall was close to the long term average. The growing and ripening seasons, while largely warm and dry were punctuated with rains and windy conditions that did affect set and subsequent yields in the Pinot Noir.
Warm, dry weather in late summer and early autumn delivered even ripening as the harvesting of Chardonnay continued throughout March. The mild end to the season saw all varieties ripen perfectly with high natural acidity and fine fruit tannins.

Vineyard
The 2010 Gibraltar Rock Pinot Noir is sourced from the biodynamically maintained  vineyard of the same name in the Porongorup sub-region of the Great Southern grape growing region of Western Australia.
This stunningly beautiful north facing site is home to one of oldest vineyards in the sub-region and has typical granitic and lateritic loams of varying depths. The site is extremely low yielding.

Fruit and Must Handling 
The grapes are handpicked, chilled overnight then hand sorted to remove damage, disease and leaf material before gentle destemming to small rectangular open fermenters.
Pre fermentation cold soaking for 5 days extracts maximum colour and optimizes fruit flavour.

Fermentation 
The natural yeast population of the vineyard dominates the fermentation, making for a more complex wine. Gentle hand plunging throughout the fermentation is conducted to manage the cap. Post fermentation skin maceration for up to 5 weeks builds structure and palate weight.

Maturation 
The pressed wine is matured for 10 months in French oak barrique, approximately 45% new.

Wine Notes 
Deep red in colour with purples hues and a black heart. The black cherry, spice and kirsch aromas are engaging and the savoury mushroom and prosciutto characters imply a dense and complex character. 
Rich in concentrated sweet glossy cherry stone fruit, the mid palate is powerful and mouth filling. A plush texture of fine fruit tannin provides  a velvet like finish to the wine which is well supported by subtle spicy oak notes.

Cellaring
A Pinot Noir of great power and texture with a great aging potential for the next 5 to 10 years.

Technical data:
Harvested in March 2010
pH 3.59, Titratable acidity 6.28, Alcohol 13.5%v/v