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Ochota Barrels

2025

‘The Mark of Cain’

Pinot Meunier   |   Adelaide Hills - Australia
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

‘The Mark of Cain’ is a the high-toned, effusive Pinot Meunier named after a punk band whom Taras’ band ‘Kranktus’ had played as an opener for back in the day. Taras and Amber could often be found listening to The Mark of Cain turned up loudly in the winery when working at night. The band could be described as simple but energetic, with vocals layered atop a lurching and chaotic rhythm section… a description that also aptly defines this wine. The fruit comes from one of the oldest Pinot Meunier vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, planted in the Piccadilly Valley in 1985. The dry-farmed vines really provide a great deal of intensity for the delicate aromas and tones.

The fruit was hand-picked and 20% of the clusters were kept intact for spontaneous fermentation. The lots were placed into two one-ton open top fermenters with a few handfuls of stalks and fermentation kicked off almost immediately. The cap was gently submersed for a little more than a week before being basket pressed to old French barriques for aging. After four months the wine was bottled with only sulfur. No fining or filtering.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Pinot Meunier
  • Vineyard: Sam Vigara's Uva Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 40-years-old
  • Soil Type: Quartz & ironstone riddled clay loam
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic
  • Fermentation: Native – open-top fermenters (20% whole cluster)
  • Skin Contact: 10 days
  • Aging: 4 months in old French barrique
  • Alcohol: 12.8%
  • pH: 3.61
  • Total Acidity: 5.3 g/L
  • Total SO2: 72 ppm
  • Total Production: 150 cases
  • UPC: None

Tasting Note

This chimeric mutation of pinot noir is all about pink florals in spring. There are elements of freshly baked Vosges Mountain cherry cake with an estery core dotted with fennel seed, almond meal, rhubarb and feijoa. The palate drive is from crunchy whole bunch natural acidity. Tightly wound fine tannins are wrapped in a core of pulsing bright red berries and wisps of exotic tropicals. This is succulent, with the mid palate holding length and energy.

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Producer


Ochota Barrels

Region


Adelaide Hills

Country


Australia

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