Foundation Wine

1998 Neill Pinot Noir

"Rosemary for remembrance."

This vintage has a deep red colour with a ripe, rich berry, plum and toasted herb bouquet. The taste is a very broad concentrated Pinot Noir, well structured and of good weight and intensity, with fine-grained grape and oak tannins.

Vintage and Harvest Notes

1998 was an exceptional season. The vines started flowering in December 1997. The season began with strong cool westerlies. As the wind abated in summer, there came an extremely intense El Niño influence which culminated in the driest, hottest 16 to 18 months on record. Berry ripening was short and compact. The grape harvest started on April 27 from the East Paddocks and May 8 from the West Paddocks.

Winemaking

The fruit was selectively hand-picked: 70% of the grapes were destemmed and 30% were left in whole bunches. Winemaker Rudi Bauer undertook four ferments. He left the uncrushed berries to cold soak for five days to extract the optimal flavour and colour, then fermented the four lots for seven to ten days at a maximum temperature of 33° C. Each lot was then given five to ten days of post-fermentation. Following fermentation Rudi aged the wine in French oak barrels, 40% of which were new, to balance the flavours and add subtle hints of cedar and vanilla.

Winemaker: Rudi Bauer

Reviews:

(89) ****   Sweet plum and cherry flavours with a beguiling silken texture. Very attractive Pinot Noir. Deliciously drinkable. -- Bob Campbell, Best of the Bunch, June/July 2000, Cuisine

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Light-textured wine but lots of flavour with some racy Otago acid which will give the wine some life. Feels young but opened up well in the glass. Best with two more years. -- Peter Saunders, 31 March 2000, Saunders on Wine<

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This little beauty (s/available last time looked) at Bono Street Wine and Liquor for $32 - for some reason cheaper than the 97 vintage of the same wine. It's a well organized Otago pinot: with elegant berry fruit flavours and a nice acidic edge. -- John Saker, 1999 Winepress, Wine of the Week, Capital Times