Bindi Pinot Noir Dixon Macedon Ranges 2023 750ml

ABOUT In 1853 Henry Reed Dixon came to Gisborne, a town his family would have a continuing connection to this day. Henry is the true ‘founder’ of the Dhillon migration to Gisborne and one of Michael’s distant relatives. From paymaster of the railway to real estate, farming and now winemaking, his family has had a significant presence in the growing community. ‘Dixon’ is formerly known as ‘Composition’ and really is a snapshot of the Bindi vineyard, based upon declassified grapes from the Original Vineyard planted in 1988 and grapes from the newer Kaye Vineyard, planted in 2001. The idea of this wine is to produce a delicious, perfumed, spicy harmonious, textured wine that is not as intense, complex nor age-worthy as the individual block wines. As always, it is bottled earlier than the other Bindi Pinot Noirs (at 10 months instead of 15-16 months). The grapes were hand-harvested and destemmed. The whole berries were gently worked and fermented with ambient yeast in small, open vats. A combination of gentle hand plunging and very primitive ‘pumpovers’ was employed for gentle extraction. After roughly two weeks on skins the lots were pressed directly to French barriques, about 30% new, for maturation and in some cases to finish primary fermentation and malolactic fermentation. One very light addition of sulfur was employed in the spring and after a total of 10 months barrels were racked to tank to settle. The wine was bottled without just another small addition of sulfur and a gentle filtration. No fining. DATA Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir Vineyard: Bindi Estate Vineyard – (Kaye block and Original Vineyard) Vine Age: 21-years-old (K-block) - 35-years-old (Original Vineyard) Soil Type: Shattered quartz & eroded volcanic topsoil and sandstone over clay Viticulture: Practicing Organic Fermentation: Native - open-top stainless steel (100% whole-berry) Skin Contact: 14 days Aging: 10 months in French barrique (30% new) Alcohol: 12.6% pH: 3.66 Total Acidity: 5.5 g/L Total SO2: 50 ppm Total Production: 600 cases TASTING NOTE The 2023 is immediately fragrant with lifted red cherry, raspberry, strawberry and spice. There is a touch of earthiness and some savory cherry stone fragrance. The bright palate is fresh and creamy, well textured and has a delicious, elegant finishing flourish carried by fine tannin. As history has shown, another five years cellaring will add intensity and complexity and the wine will cellar well for a decade. PRESS Vinous | 91+