Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2020

The Bell Hill Pinot Noir is a 15-barrel blend of the Shelf and Shelf West parcels, Quarry Rootling’s and Quarry 10/5, the Roadblock and Slope. The fruit was mostly destemmed with some whole bunch trials in a batch of the Slope at 100% and the Quarry 10/5 at 35%, each block had 27 to 30 days on skins with cold pre-ferment and warm post-ferment macerations. After basket pressing, the wine went into 100% new French oak, was racked and blended after 12 months and had 8 months in tank before bottling on the 25th of January 2022 with 3.61 pH, 5.9g/L TA and 13.5% alcohol. 4,167 bottles and 106 magnums were produced. A Single Parcel Shelf Pinot Noir of 1,596 bottles and 100 magnums will be released with the 2021 vintage.

Attractive deep, spicy aromatic notes. On the palate we see flesh and vibrance with a taut, energetic core, a fine-tuned, mineral driven and focused finish. The wine has depth and lift, salivating and saline, with mid-palate flesh and a touch of sweet fruit, it needs time to shape its final form, but has fine-boned elegance complemented by a palate flowing finish. Winemaker’s notes.