2022 TERRA.LOCI ‘Babilon’ Pinot Noir

Description

W.O. Walker Bay

Vintage 2022

4130 bottles

Vintage conditions:

Cold and exceedingly wet conditions occurred during flowering and berry set late in 2021. The ripening season of January 2022 however, saw some of the hottest and driest conditions that have been recorded over the past seven years; the rainfall received for this period was atypically low. This allowed for a long, healthy ripening of a concentrated crop. Minimal disease pressure and dilution resulted in the production of fruit of an outstanding quality, in which full phenolic ripeness and refreshingly low natural sugar accumulation as expressed.

Wine making:

Grapes were handpicked and only individually selected bunches were harvested at maximum ­flavour intensity. After both bunch and berry sorting on arrival at the winery, the grapes underwent a four-day pre-fermentation cold soak allowing for maximum fruit and colour extraction. Fermentations using 100% whole berries were done to give upfront fruit driven nose and a full palate of aromas. Alcoholic fermentation lasted approximately six days after which it was pressed, settled and transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation.

The wine was not racked from barrel once over the nine-month maturation period, as preserving the freshness and fruit was key for the style we’re looking to produce.

• Hemel en Aarde Site:
  • Year Planted: 2006
  • Clone: 2/3 115 & 1/3 777
  • Aspect: South East facing slope.
  • Soil: Clay driven soils with decomposed bokkeveld shale.
  • Ha: 0.88ha PN115 & 0.37ha PN777.

• Walker Bay Site:
  • Year Planted: 2008
  • Rootstock: Richter 99
  • Clone: PN 777
  • Aspect: East/South-East
  • Soil: Duplex soil of shales with clay rich subsoil
  • Ha: 2.3 Ha

• Maturation: Ten months in French oak barrels.
• Alcohol: 13.3 % v/v
• pH: 3.61
• Total acidity: 5.4 g/l
• Residual sugar: 2.3 g/l