2009 Vintage:

No Serine this year as the grapes didn't end up exactly where we like them so we used the opportunity to make the wine differently and see the effects of different winemaking.

The wine was picked in two batches, the core juice at 22 brix and made as for Serine and another batch was held longer on the vine getting to around 23.5 brix. This later batch was fermented using 100% crushed whole bunches looking for tannins from the stalks and seeds.

The resulting wine is a blend of the two batches, the effective whole bunch contribution was 20%. The whole bunch ferment contributes several components to the wine

• a freshness to the wine, a slight sourness which
  integrates into the wine to balance out fruitiness.
• stalk tannins initially showing as malty and well
  stalking but integrates into to provide a savoury
  component without greeness
• flavours of spices (but not pepper which is a
  sign of not being ripe)

The aim was to test the effects of using a whole bunch component with a view in the future to use this to bring a slight savoury character to our Serine as they do in Hermitage and in Cote Rotie, and so increase its french character.

The Wine:

Spices, blueberries and cream on the nose.

Mouthfilling on entry, very good body, smooth and silky. Quite big, brambly red and black fruits finishing with blueberry and cream flavours balanced out by a spicy sourness and savoury tannins from the stalks.

The Statistics:

13.2% alcohol by volume
6.5 gm/l of titratable acidity
pH 3.73