The Vineyard
Budenberg Vineyard is managed and farmed by Mark Whisson and owned by Ian and Rosie Budenberg.
Site location: Piccadilly Valley – Adelaide Hills
Map coordinates: -34.97274,138.744384
Clones: Majority 114 & 115, 1 row of MV6
Planted: 1995
Elevation: 540 meters
Aspect: East facing
Rows: 19, 37-44, 66-69, 74-76.
Soil: Clay loam and shale with a mix of large pieces ironstone, blue stone and some quartz. An incredibly steep and rocky site.
Harvest: 31st March 2015
Tonnes: 1.86T
The Winemaking
Hand-picked, gentle destem to retain whole berries with 20% whole bunches, five-day cold soak prior to fermentation in stainless steel.
Gentle hand plunge twice daily, allowing ferment temperature to peak at 30°C, 14 days on skins.
Matured for 10 months in 100% French oak barrels, 15% new oak, lees stirred in barrel for 2 months.
Unfined, unfiltered and vegan.
Bottled 2nd February 2015 – 138 dozen
The Wine
Budenberg Pinot Noir, with its exceptionally low yield and tight fist-like bunches, is our most structural Pinot Noir with a core of tight tannins. But also delicate and perfumed, lifted with fresh smashed raspberries on wet slate, a bouquet of lavender, roses and dried bay leaves. Wet earth and iron stone minerality ever present.
Drinking: Ready for drinking now. Cellar to 2025, perhaps beyond.
Alcohol: 13.5% alc/vol
Reviews
95 points - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
93 points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front