Marchand & Burch Great Southern Pinot Noir 2007
The 07 Pinot Noir is showing beautifully at the moment and I can see this wine will age into an absolute stunner. Medium red in colour; the palate is a mix of lifted rose petals, strawberries, red cherries, spice and forest floor. This wine is multi layered, very complex and interesting. One of the best new release Pinot's I have tried this year. 95 points. Anthony D'Anna
Selected Pinot Noir Grapes from Mount Barker, Porongurup and Denmark regions have produced an intense and complex wine with aromas of cherry fruits and "earthy" barnyard complexity. The palate’s structure is fine and elegant with soft, velvety tannins, generous mouth feel and fantastic palate length.
An exhaustive search was carried out in mid 2006 to identify possible sites for sourcing only the highest quality Pinot Noir. The Great Southern was quickly identified by Pascal Marchand as being the optimal Western Australian region and two sites were selected from the subregions of Mount Barker and the Porongurups.
Small parcels of fruit from each vineyard were hand picked and transported by refrigerated trailer to the Denmark winery, where it was hand sorted and gently destemmed to open fermenters. Cold soaking was
used to extract maximum colour and optimal fruit flavour before fermentation was allowed to spontaneously occur.
A "natural" fermentation regime was utilised as it produces a more complex and integrated wine. Post fermentation maceration was used to build structure in the wine, allowing extraction of supple tannins from the grape skins. Separate parcels were matured in French barriques using approximately 40% new oak. The Pinot Noir was matured for twelve months with spontaneous malolactic fermentation being completed during this period.
The assemblage consisted of the barrels assessed as contributing to the complexity, texture and power of the final blend. The Pinot received minimal fining and filtration before being put to bottle on a biodynamically compatible day. The wine was then given eight months bottle maturation before being released.
The hue of this wine is a deep crimson showing beautiful intensity and colour. The nose entrances you with perfumed black cherries, ripe strawberries and hints of forest floor complexity. The new oak
component adds subtle spice nuances. The palate is savoury and complex: dense and dark plummy mid-palate backed with cloves, cinnamon and delicious cigar box and smoky oak. The finish is lingering with intense cherry pip characters and a slippery texture. Firm yet supple tannins give a wonderful backbone to the wine.
This wine will reward the impatient who cannot resist its allure, but will greatly compensate the patient collector who wishes to cellar it for up to six years.
