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Our ‘no-add’ pinot noir was going to be called ‘Lazy’ as it is made by doing as little as possible – in fact the winemaker, Dean Shaw, jests that he will have time to help with picking this harvest as he has had so little input… Of course the exact opposite is true, as like any pursuit that pushes boundaries, this wine is a challenge for both the viticultural and winemaking teams as they attempt to create an example of a more ‘natural wine’.
Pristine, organically grown Fusilier Vineyard Bannockburn fruit, then zero sulphur or pH corrections, or fining at the winery…it’s not an easy road to follow for the winemaker as attention to detail and experience are tested to uncomfortable limits. However, we think everyone can possibly feel just that little bit less preserved after a glass or two… Namaste.
The Fusilier Vineyard is named in honor 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 far western end of Felton Rd. 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.
Spring and early summer started off well as temperatures steadily increased and regular rainfall meant soil moisture was high enabling the vines to easily access nutrients, so the vines had strong healthy early growth.
February was cooler than typical though with several cold southerly fronts bringing rain, which slowed veraison and seemed to stall what was at that point heading for an early harvest. Then March was far warmer and actually surpassed February for heat accumulation - and an early harvest was back on! Harvest 2022 began on the 24/3/22 and finished on the 26/4/22.
It was the year that the region struggled to find workers due to Covid but Viticulturist, Mike Wing’s, close collaboration with local orchardists who all shared their workers, ensured Two Paddocks had another great harvest Crew.
Single Dijon Clone 115 on Riparia Gloire root stock. Selected and hand harvested from the Fusilier Vineyard.
60% of the grapes went through a gentle destemming process - the remainder 40% went into the vat as whole bunch. The grapes started naturally fermenting 6 days later and at this stage were gently hand plunged once a day for 10 days. After a total of 28 days we drained the vat to older French oak barriques. The wine naturally went through malo lactic fermentation and was finished by early summer. We then racked the wine from barrel in December 2022 and bottled the wine in mid-December.
No sulfur or any other additives or finings have been used during the winemaking or bottling process. Literally 100% grapes. Bottled without sulphur or filtration.
| PH Level | 3.73 |
|---|---|
| Total Acidity | 5.9g/l |
| Alcohol | 13% |
| Bottled | December 2022 |
| Cellaring | Drink NOW |
| Viticulturist | Mike Wing |
| Total Production | 100 cases |
| Winemaker | Dean Shaw |
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
+64 3 449 2756
TWO PADDOCKS LTD.
PO Box 506
Alexandra 9340
Central Otago
New Zealand
Sale of Liquor License Ref: OF129
Licence No. 67/OFF/30/2022
Expires 24th August 2025
