Leefield Station Pinot Noir delivers a seam of vivid red berry fruits that speak strongly to the cool-climate growing conditions of the Waihopai Valley of Marlborough. This core of pure red fruits sits amidst savoury elements of grape stem, smoke and a hint of classic Pinot Noir funk.

Grown in the cool-climate vineyards of Marlborough's Waihopai Valley, the 2018 Leefield Station Pinot Noir showcases hints of red fruit characters laced with underlying oak elements of toast and smoke that finish beautifully with a vibrant juicy acidity.

The advantageous climate of vintage 2018 provided a welcome start to what would be a very successful harvest period. A sustained warm spring meant our vines got off to the best start possible, which further encouraged the notion of a blessed Marlborough season. The start of summer brought one of the warmest Decembers on record, while the key ripening months of January to March 2018 continued to provide above-average temperatures. With the unpredictability surrounding weather patterns towards the end of March, our team took the challenge to start harvest early. From day one we accumulated as much fruit as possible, resulting in one of the fastest intake periods on record. Quality viticulture, the ability to effectively manage our harvest teams and a big front door are some of the key reasons why we were able to create such vibrant wines - typical of the Waihopai Valley, Marlborough.

Lovingly hand-picked fruit was predominately destemmed without crushing into small open-top fermentation tanks. Some whole clusters were included in select batches to add complexity and length to the final assemblage. The grapes were cold-soaked for around 5 - 7 days before a rapid, warm fermentation. The ferments were hand-plunged 3 or 4 times each day to keep the skins in intimate contact with the fermenting juice. They were then left to macerate for an additional week post-ferment to ensure optimum flavour development and integrated tannin extraction. The young wines were then drained and pressed before being aged in French oak puncheons for 9 months during which time they underwent a full malolactic fermentation.

We recommend pairing the 2018 Leefield Station Pinot Noir with a delicious roasted leg of lamb with all the usual trimmings.