Nose
With spicy red berry, perfumes, some strawberry, plummy flavours with hints of earthy, gamey characters giving it greater complexity.
Palate
It is quite a fine red: medium-bodied but intense, with a generous structure, ripe, sweet fruit and soft, round tannins. This is a rich, round flavoursome wine which is well-balanced and lively with an attractive smokey finish that lingers.
Growing Conditions
vintage was quite different from that of 1995 with the mild summer allowing the vines a slow ripening period so that it was possible to get good fruit ripeness without high levels of alcohol. For all that, the wine did achieve 14% alcohol but with plenty of fruit and lift to balance it.
The vinicultural technique for Pinot Noir at Moss Wood has become pretty standard after several years spent refining the approach.
Bottling
16/12/1994
Winemaking
The grapes were picked and then crushed with one-third retained as whole bunches. Fermentation on skins took twelve days. All pressings were included in the blend straight away and this was held in stainless steel until the wine had undergone its malolactic fermentation. It was then racked into barrels where it remained for 12 months. Although one-third of the wine was placed in new casks, oak does not play a major part in the style of the Moss Wood Pinot which is more influenced by fruit intensity. Before bottling, it was given a light filtration but no fining.
Aging
at least ten years
Appearance
Deep ruby red hue.
