2023 Animale Pinot Noir

WINEMAKER: Dave Mackintosh REGION: Yarra Valley, VIC VARIETY: Pinot Noir VITICULTURE: Organic | Davebro's ANIMALE is back, finally. This is good gear. | This year’s fruit was grown on two sites in the Lower Yarra Valley: 69% from the Cahilton vineyard, with the remaining 31% from the Yarra Station vineyard. The Cahilton fruit is all MV6 from vines on a south-facing slope with light brown, duplex clay loams. The Yarra Station fruit hails from a late-ripening, low-lying section of vines on ironstone and grey clay loam. | Fruit from the Cahilton vineyard was destemmed and fermented for 18 days with one light pumpover each day, ramped up to a few plunges daily towards the end of maceration. The wine was then pressed to old barriques and hogsheads for maturation. The lighter Yarra Station fruit fermented as whole berries for 14 days with a few light pumpovers, after which it was pressed to old barriques and puncheons. After a few months, the wines were blended and bottled without fining or filtration.