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Joshua Cooper

2021

‘Doug’s Vineyard’

Pinot Noir   |   Macedon Ranges - Australia

About

Doug’s Vineyard is situated on the outskirts of the township of Romsey, in the Macedon Ranges. Owned by the Newnham family it was planted nearly 25 years ago to predominantly MV6 and smaller amounts of 114 and 115 clone Pinot Noir. A cool hamlet, the vines sit at around 500m altitude, atop a North and North East facing hillside on red rocky volcanic basalt soil, moderating vigor and providing amazing intensity to the fruit, ripening small, beautifully formed clusters at low sugar levels.

Once hand harvested in the cool of morning, with careful sorting in the vineyard, 100% was transferred as whole cluster to open fermenters. The must was then allowed to soak 4-5 days at its cool ambient temperature until fermentation commenced. There after the grapes were gently extracted by a combination of pumping over and pigeage by foot. The wine then pressed after a total of three weeks on skins and transferred to two new (Laurent “Magic Cask” thick stave, blonde toast) seven young (2-4 yo Laurent “Magic Cask”)and ten old (6-10 yo) oak Burgundian piece for lees aging for 12 months, followed by four months in stainless steel on fine lees. The wine was racked and bottled without fining, filtering, and with just a small dose of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
  • Vineyard: Doug's Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 24-years-old
  • Soil Type: Red, rocky basalt
  • Viticulture: Lutte Raisonée / Sustainable – dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – open-top stainless steel fermenters (100% whole cluster)
  • Skin Contact: 21 days
  • Aging: 12 months in thick staved French 228l piece barrels (20% new), then 4 months on fine lees in stainless steel
  • Alcohol: 13.5%
  • pH: 3.8
  • Total Acidity: 5 g/L
  • Total SO2: 60 ppm
  • Total Production: 333 cases

Tasting Note

Somber and deep, with black raspberry and maraschino cherry depth complexed by the typical exotic spice of Doug’s Vineyard. Structured by abundant silky tannin and fresh acidity. One of the most powerful vintages of this wine to date, though also one most well defined, owing to the cool, late season. As a young wine it will greatly reward time in the glass or decanter.

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