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Frederick Stevenson

2021

‘Summertown’

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

About

This is Pinot Noir from the Potter’s Hill Vineyard in Summertown, located in the western enclave of the Adelaide Hills. The vineyard was planted in 1992 and is located between 1,600-1,750 feet in elevation on an east facing, sandy clay over shale ridden site. Since early 2017, Steve has been assisting the owners, Paul & Sarah Hill, with converting the vines to organic viticulture as well as implementing cane pruning and shoot thinning, allowing more light to enter the vines. Half of the property is planted to olives and fruit trees, and the other half to these Pinot vines. The growing season was cooler and longer in 2021, and the grapes were touched with a tad less sugar than previous years, but acid and tannin levels were in their zones.

The fruit was hand picked and cold soaked overnight. Fermentation kicking off naturally over the course of 2-3 days with 30% whole bunch clusters. Gentle hand plunging and maceration ensued while the grapes fermented for three weeks. Once the ferment went dry it, the wine was left of the skins for an additional four days then basket pressed with full lees to French oak (20% new) to age for 9 months before being racked to stainless steel for another month. It was bottled without fining or filtration and just a small addition of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
  • Vineyard: Potter's Hill Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 31-years-old
  • Soil Type: Red clay & sandy loam over shale
  • Viticulture: Certified organic
  • Fermentation: Native – open top stainless-steel (30% whole-bunch)
  • Skin Contact: 21 days
  • Aging: 9 months in French oak (20% new) then one month in stainless-steel
  • Alcohol: 11.9%
  • pH: 3.63
  • Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L
  • Total SO2: 38 ppm
  • Total Production: 200 cases

Tasting Note

Thanks to a cooler vintage in 2021, the fruit profile falls on the lighter spectrum, but there is still the same level of spice and tannin. The palate is zippy, and though certainly dry, there is a touch of fruit sweetness with pomegranate and raspberry as the dominating red fruits. As ever, this wine is extremely fun to drink.

Press & Reviews

The Wine Front

93

"Vibrant, expressive style with bright, tart cranberry juice and Campari tang ahoy. It’s all perfume and prettiness to sniff on, more serious in the palate with a riff of sinewy, powdery tannins lending strong shape and an almost Italianate feel. Barbera anyone? It’s a delight to drink, a good alt-expression of Hills pinot and really fresh feeling."

- Mike Bennie
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Producer


Frederick Stevenson

Region


Adelaide Hills

Country


Australia

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