Newton Johnson Windansea Pinot Noir 2023

Windansea is a large 2.5ha vineyard planted on the highest part of the slope before encountering shallow bedrock and mountainside behind the winery. The shallow, dense clay below the surface is a major feature of the soil and ascribes for the more muscular structure and presence. With majestic views to the sea, the vineyard is also the most exposed to wind and is constantly suppressed in the vigour of its growth. Thicker skins on the berries produce deeper and darker tones. The succulent tang of red and black fruit is persistent in the fringes, but it is the firmer body and backbone that define the wine of the vineyard. The roots find their way early into the heavy clay and even as young vines they deliver these characteristics. The use of whole bunches and stems are especially useful here in helping to accentuate the acidity and spiciness and to align the tannin structure.

WineMag 95/100 (oogst 2022)
From a vineyard featuring heavy clay, the resulting berries having thicker skins. Red and black cherry, earth and spice on the nose while the palate has excellent fruit density, punchy acidity and admirably ripe fruit tannins. A wine of both breadth and depth – succulent fruit upfront, the finish decidedly long and dry. Alc: 13.5%.

Winemaking
The grapes are packed in to large-surface area crates to limit pressure on the bunches. The day’s harvest is cooled down overnight to 8ºC in the winery’s refrigerated cold room. The bunches are sorted on a conveyor, destemmed, and fall directly to the fermenter (with no crushing). No sulphur is used in the winemaking, allowing diverse micro-organisms from the grape itself to flourish unrestrained in the spontaneous fermentation. This parcel also contains a discretionary percentage (varying from 30 -40%) of whole bunches. We fermented in two separate cuvées, each with alternate amounts of stems. Cold maceration ensues for 5 to 6 days at 8 to 10°C. All parcels are fermented by spontaneous yeasts, and only pigeage (punching down) applied for extraction. The wine spends approximately 20 days on the skins before pressing. After pressing, it is racked and left to complete its malolactic fermentation and maturation in barrel on its lees.

Maturation
Matured for 11 months in 228L barrels produced in Burgundy and custom made for this vineyard. Tighter grained oak is preferred for subtle flavour, with longer seasoning and slower, lower temperature toasting. New oak comprises 22%. The wine is racked to larger 500L oak barrels for another 6 months of élevage. No fining and filtration before bottling.