Pinot Noir “The Nest” 2020 – Lake Chalice

The grapes to produce Pinot Noir The Nest Lake Chalice were delivered to the winery immediately after harvest retaining th freshness of the fruit. Afer the fruit was cold soaked, the Pinot Noir The Nest Lake Chalice fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks to retain the purity of fruit and during the peak of fermentation the must was hand-plunged up to eight times per day, in order to ensure the desired levels of fine tannins, colour and flavours were extracted. The wine went through malolactic fermentation resulting in a silky texture. Maturation for six months in seasoned French oak barriques followed, imparting subtle complexity to the wine.

The fruit for this wine was harvested from vineyards across the Wairau and southern Waihopai Valleys in Marlborough. The vineyards situated in the sheltered southern Waihopai Valley have well-draining clay over gravel soils, which offer good drainage and aeration. The clay soils have the capacity to retain positively charged nutrients, which are beneficial to plant health and add an element of growth restriction, keeping the Pinot Noir balanced in its growth. The clay and gravel soils also help to restrict berry size, creating thicker skins, which in turn leads to more flavour and better concentration. The vines are trained with two canes which further helps to obtain concetnrated fruit flavours.

Lake Chalice was established in 1989 with a vision of producing internationally recognised wines from the heart of the Marlborough region. New Zealand’s native falcon, the ‘Kārearea’, is proudly displayed on every bottle of Lake Chalice wine. Kārearea favour the remote mountains and foothills of the upper Awatere and Wairau valleys and these valleys are home to Lake Chalice’s three unique vineyard sites. Each vineyard has a diverse microclimate, biodiversity and terroir which are seamlessly translated into multi award winning wines by talented winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen. Taking a boutique approach she handcrafts parcels of fruit from single vineyards into elegant, aromatic, fruit driven wines and has garnered a global reputation of outstanding quality. Certified ‘Sustainable Winegrower of New Zealand’.