Ochota Barrels Pinot Noir A Forest Adelaide Hills
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ABOUT The opening bass line of โA Forestโ by The Cure transcends the listener into a blissful, enigmatic and meditative trance in a place where the road splits into hopeful jubilation or heartfelt loss. The same holds true for this wine; nearly a decade on in the evolution of this wine, it has found the path of jubilation. The paradox of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir is that the highs are there but often disappointment looms. Amber has achieved a lot of substance with this wine as the depth of flavor really takes it to places it has never gone. The fruit comes from the Chapel Valley vineyard in 2024, managed by Sam Virgara. The grapes were hand-harvested partially destemmed (roughly 90% of the lot, with 10% kept as whole clusters). The berries and bunches were kept separate by clone and cold soaked in open-top plastic fermenters until fermentation occurred naturally. The ferments were gently hand plunged across 1-2 weeks before being basket-pressed to old French barriques and puncheons for maturation. After five months the wine was bottled with just a coarse filtration and small addition of sulfur. No fining. DATA Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir Vineyard: Chapel Valley Vineyard (Piccadilly) Vine Age: 24-years-old Soil Type: Quartz & ironstone riddled sandy loam Viticulture: Practicing organic Fermentation: Native โ open-top plastic fermenters (10% whole-cluster) Skin Contact: 7 days Aging: 5 months in seasoned French barriques Alcohol: 12.3% pH: 3.56 Total Acidity: 5.2 g/L Total SO2: 117 ppm Total Production: 470 cases UPC: None TASTING NOTE A strikingly floral nose of crushed petals and stems sets the framework for this wine. Garrigue and Nordic forest undergrowth tease out damson fruit, pain dโepice, and subtle peaty elements, creating a compelling show of rusticity. Delicate sappiness holds the taut yet compact and textural palate in flux, as tarry red currants and slightly meaty notes unfold into a long, savory finish. A medicinal quality flutters throughout, reminiscent of Billie Hoke, captivating the seasoned palate. Once opened, the wine evolves significantly after day one, offering a more flamboyant profile that makes this tasting note seem almost elementary. PRESS James Suckling | 94