RIKARD, Pinot Noir, 2023

The 2023 season in Orange was was late. There’s no other way to describe it. It was the longest growing season experienced yet in the Orange wine region and we love cool seasons! It’s all about hang-time on the vine when it comes to flavour and complexity in Pinot Noir and 2023 had it in spades! Ripening was slow and prolonged. Natural acid retention was high and when eventually the fruit reached a lovely level of physiological ripeness; sugar levels were still low. A great combination, resulting in delicacy and elegance. Intricacy and intrigue.

Our 2023 Pinot Noir is a multi-faceted wine composed from a whole gamut of components to create complexity through difference: Four different clones were harvested from three different sites ranging from 780m to 1080m in altitude. There were six separate picks of fruit and varying amounts of whole clusters used within each batch.

Only 10% new French oak was used, but there’s multiple 2nd and 3rd use barriques included as well. All made via traditional, minimal-intervention methods and with no industrial winemaking ‘artifact’.

COLOUR – Cherry red/maroon with a bit of turbidity.

NOSE – Red fruits step forward initially, with redcurrants and cherries plus rosehip jelly. There’s some lovely, spicy characters overlaying the fruit, whilst oak is very subtly adding a bit of char and savouriness.

PALATE – A moreish and juicy acid profile splashes primary, red-fruit characters around your mouth and keeps it light and refreshing. Quite a lot going on in the meantime with the stalk tannin firming the palate whilst a whole myriad of secondary and tertiary flavours coming and going in waves. Cinnamon, anise, green pepper, chocolate. The finish is fine and long, the bottle is empty!