PRIMA DONNA - Principle female singer in opera. A mild spring led to the vines bursting into leaf early. The summer days were hot but the nights tended to be cool, leading to a large diurnal temperature variation. This produced excellent ripening while retaining good colour and natural acidity. The autumn was warm and lingering. The vines had been specially trained by hand and leaves plucked from around the bunches to allow maximum exposure to the sun.

After picking and removal of the stems the grapes were left to macerate for several days while remaining cool. Fermentation was then allowed to start and was carried out in small vats, which were, manually plunged to keep a cap of fermenting grape-skins moist and clean. Towards the end of fermentation the wine was gently separated and put into French oak barriques to mature. Malo-lactic fermentation was proceeded naturally by the action of indigenous bacteria when the weather warmed in the spring following harvest. After gentle racking to aid clarification the wine was bottled without filtration.

PRIMA DONNA is a selection of our best pinot noir of the vintage and it characteristically comes from our oldest vines. It is made only in top vintages using minimal intervention to allow the fruit to fully express the characters of the vineyard.

This garnet coloured wine shows a complex blending of sweet fruit and savoury characters. There are elements of black cherries and plums intertwined with hints smoked game, roast meats and bacon rind. Beneath its multiple layers is an elegant structure with soft fine ripe tannins and a long lingering chocolaty after taste. Although ready to drink on release it should improve with cellaring over the next few years.

N.B. This bottle should be savoured by a maximum of 2 persons.

Wine is a natural health food.