The Fusilier Pinot Noir - 2015

About the wine

Named in honour of Sam's father, Major Dermot Neill.

“We grow our premium Two Paddocks Pinot Noir entirely on our four small estate vineyards in Central Otago. In some exceptional vintages, listening carefully, we realise that one of these sites may have something extraordinary to say in its own right. It is only then that we will make one of these very rare single vineyard wines.” Sam Neill, Proprietor

The Fusilier Vineyard is named in honour of Sam’s father, Major Dermot Neill, a soldier in the Royal Irish Fusilier Regiment for twenty years before returning home to Dunedin, New Zealand, where he ran the family Wine & Spirit business, Neill & Co. Planted entirely in 2000, The Fusilier is 5.6 hectares of Pinot Noir, on rolling northerly facing terraces at the western end of Felton Rd and bordered by the vineyard of the same name. Soils on the terraces consist of deep alluvial fans, which are made up of varying depths of silt, sand and gravel layering all derived from mountainous raw schist parent material.

Tasting Notes

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 started harvest on the 1st April 2015.

Winemakers Notes:
Hand picked and sorted in the vineyard. One-third whole-bunch fermentation in a 3.5 tonne wooden cuve. 5 day cold soak. No commercial yeast added, ferment temperature peaked at 32° – post fermentation transferred to medium and light toast French barriques for 11 months maturation. One-third new wood and the balance in second and third fill barrels. Light filtration prior to bottling.

Spicy red fruit, dried herb and wildflower aromatics leading to afeminine, lithe and textural driven wine. This wine shows great tension, verve, density and persistence.

pH 3.64 TA 6.0 g/L Alc 13.5 %

Proprietor: Sam NeillViticulturist: Mike WingWinemaker: Dean Shaw

Bottled: March 2016 Total Production: 350 dozCellaring: 2015 – 2022