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Ochota Barrels

2022

‘The Mark of Cain’

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

About

This is the fifth vintage of ‘The Mark of Cain’, the high-toned, effusive Pinot Meunier named after a punk band whom Taras had played as an opener for. ‘The Mark of Cain’ could be described as simple, but energetic, vocals layered atop a lurching and chaotic rhythm section…that aptly defines this wine. This is 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. Being another La Niña year, 2022 was similar to 2021. It was cool and mild, with no big heatwaves, and long slow ripening. This makes for perfumed, light bodied wines with great natural acid.

The fruit was hand-picked in early-March and the vast majority of the fruit was destemmed with only 10% being kept intact. 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 five months the wine was bottled without fining or filtration and just a small 51 ppm sulfur addition.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Pinot Meunier
  • Vineyard: Sam Vigara's Uva Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 37-years-old
  • Soil Type: Heavy red clay over granite
  • Viticulture: Practicing Organic
  • Fermentation: Native – 90% destemmed - 10% whole-cluster with a few added handfuls of stalks
  • Skin Contact: 7-10 days
  • Aging: 5 months in old French barrique
  • Alcohol: 12%
  • pH: 3.48
  • Total Acidity: 5.5 g/L
  • Total SO2: 51 ppm
  • Total Production: 206 cases

Tasting Note

This chimeric mutation of pinot noir is simply 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 frijola. The palate drive is from crunchy whole bunch natural acidity. The Ochota trademark of tightly wound fine tannins wrapped in a core of pulsing bright red berries. Succulent with the mid palate holding length and energy.

Press & Reviews

James Suckling

94

"Electric dark pink color and shows lots of energy and bright sunshine. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a zingy finish of sliced watermelon, hibiscus, and green strawberries. Fun and different. You don’t see many lively, still pinot meuniers like this. Drink now. Screw cap."
- James Suckling
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Producer


Ochota Barrels

Region


Adelaide Hills

Country


Australia

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