Pinot Noir
In 2003 with the help advice and expertise of viticulturists Robin, and later James, Dicey we planted and began to tend our vines with the utmost care and attention to detail. We endeavour to leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of excellence. The vines are tended by hand during the yearly cycle – bud-rubbing, shoot thinning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning, picking and pruning -.all with a view to ensuring the grapes ripen fully and develop intense flavours and complexity.
The fruit is hand harvested and transported 30kms up the valley to Wanaka where our winemakers Dan & Sarah-Kate Dineen work their magic. The juice is fermented very traditionally in open topped tanks and hand plunged with a portion of whole bunch included in each fermenter. Indigenous yeast is used and the wine is left a month on the skins for tannin development prior to gentle pressing through the winemakers’ basket press.
Maturation takes place in French barriques (40% new) for 10 months before minimal filtration, no fining and bottling.
All this encourages the production of the type of wine to which we aspire: a rich deep flavoured wine which reflects the special regional characteristics of the pinot noir grapes – fruity and intense.
Rosé (from pinot noir grapes)
Dan calls his wife Sarah-Kate "the rosé queen" and she more than lives up to this title. We produced a small run of rosé from our first vintage in 2007 and while it was only shared amongst our close friends it gained some real status. The first vintage was regarded as "gutsy" with a fresh fruity strawberry underlay. Everyone loved it! So much so that we now have an Italian stainless steel fermentation tank dedicated to on-going production of rosé.
The fruit is hand harvested then transported to the winery in Wanaka where the grapes are destemmed and the juice left in contact with the skins for just 24 hours. The result is a delicate blush coloured fragrant juice which is then fermented cool in a stainless steel tank to retain vibrant berry fruit aromas. The rosé is bottled by October ready for a pre-Christmas release.
Long-awaited new releases
Two Degrees 2008 pinot noir
From our wonderfully ripe and bountiful 2008 vintage with its endless summer this wine is a vibrant assortment of rich and dark fruit flavours coupled with savoury fruit tannins from extended ripening time on the vine.
It is a well structured wine which will continue to develop in the bottle and should cellar well for at least 5-7 years.
“Aromatic and vibrant! It’s fabulous!”
Two Degrees 2009 rosé
This is redolent of ripe strawberries raspberries and fresh cut watermelon. Quite a rich and voluptuous rosé like a fruit filled punch with a vibrant fresh finish.
You’ll have to be quick to enjoy this little gem. Big things come in small parcels – only 140 cases.
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