Diamond Heart Waihopai Cuvée 2017
6 bottles
TASTING NOTE
As a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – the Waihopai Cuvée embraces what we love about both varieties; the Chardonnay offers aromas of freshly baked bread and green apple while the Pinot Noir provides an elegant, perfumed complexity.The palate is richly textured from the extended lees contact and is balanced by a beautifully crunchy acidity that leads to a dry, crisp finish.
FOOD MATCHING
The complexity and depth provided by the Pinot Noir portion of this wine will combine perfectly with any preparation of smoked Marlborough Salmon.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
6 – 8 years.Download Tasting Note Previous Tasting Notes
ORIGIN
Our Leefield Station and Waihopai River Vineyards in the Waihopai Valley of Marlborough.
VARIETY
54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir.
WINEMAKING
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir fruit carefully chosen from select blocks within our Leefield Station and Waihopai River Vineyards make up this first release Waihopai Cuvée Methode Traditionnelle.
Handpicked in early March and very gently pressed to avoid any skin maceration, the resulting juice was fermented in 67% older French puncheons and 33% stainless steel. Post fermentation, this wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation and was aged on lees for 7 months, helping to balance the acidity and impart a subtle creaminess to the palate.
The wine was blended and then underwent tirage (the addition of sugar and yeast) before being bottled in October 2017 for secondary fermentation. This Waihopai Cuvée was subsequently aged on lees in bottle for 3 years and disgorged in November 2020.
ANALYSIS
Alcohol 12.5%pH 3.14
Titratable Acidity 6.84g/L
Residual Sugar 7.8g/L
VINTAGE
Vintage 2017 delivered a smaller than predicted crop for Marlborough's wine industry, ensuring the vibrant, fruit-driven wines the region is so well known for, were achieved.Summer started early with warm weather leading to good flavour development, indicating the potential for great wine. Our vineyard staff and winemakers spent plenty of time in those early days of the season working out how to get the best balance from our vines - and ultimately into our wines.
Nature threw in some challenges along the way with a major November earthquake, a cool and windy summer and stints of rain in Autumn. Rigorous Vineyard management and careful harvest decisions have ensured our Marisco wines have an exciting spectrum of flavours from our harvested grapes.
A growing year of challenges - resulting in wines to remember!
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Diamond Heart
