Picnic Pinot Noir - 2015

About the wine

Featuring the Proprietor’s Grandfather, Sydney Neill – Wine Merchant, on the label, Picnic is our perennial favourite – the wine to enjoy everyday and a wonderful introduction to the pleasure of Central Otago Pinot Noir. This year 80% of the fruit was sourced from Two Paddock’s own vineyards in Alexandra and Gibbston with an inclusion of Lowburn fruit. Picnic Pinot Noir is made in a diminutive style aimed to reflect the characters that Central Otago Pinot does so very well – black and red cherry fruit, spice and a generosity that keeps you reaching for the next sip.

Tasting Notes

Featuring the Proprietor’s Grandfather, Sydney Neill – Wine Merchant, on the label, Picnic is our perennial favourite – the wine to enjoy everyday and a wonderful introduction to the pleasure of Central Otago Pinot Noir. This year 80% of the fruit was sourced from Two Paddock’s own vineyards in Alexandra and Gibbston with an inclusion of Lowburn fruit. Picnic Pinot Noir is made in a diminutive style aimed to reflect the characters that Central Otago Pinot does so very well – black and red cherry fruit, spice and a generosity that keeps you reaching for the next sip.

Vintage Comment:

A cool spring in October and into November was followed by warm dry weather over December and a particularly hot and dry January. Flowering was finished by the end of December. Vigour was low and the vines were only green thinned and shoulders removed in the same pass. Wide open bunches meant very little disease pressure was experienced and we hand harvested on the 15th April 2015.

Winemakers Notes:

Hand harvested, 85% de-stemmed and given 5-7 days pre-fermentation cold maceration. After an indigenous ferment the wine is given another 5-7 days post ferment time on skins. Wine is then transferred to 1-4 year old French medium toast barriques for a10 month maturation, before racking and bottling.

Fresh red fruit and spice aromatics followed by a lively lush fruit driven palate giving good drive, textural depth, with a soft finish.

Central Otago Sub-regional composition: 44% Alexandra, 34% Bannockburn , 22% Gibbston

pH 3.60 -- TA 6.0 g/l -- Alc 13.0%

Proprietor: Sam Neill

Viticulturist: Mike Wing

Winemaker: Dean Shaw

Bottled: February 2016

Cellaring: 2016 – 2020