Konpira Maru - 2024 Whitlands Pet Nat

100% Pinot Noir from the Celeste vineyard, Whitlands, King Valley, Victoria. The OG vineyard in the Whitlands planted by the legendary Dr Jim Hardie in 1983, this gem of a spot has been managed organically by us since 2016. 

2024 was a wet-dry year up on the hill. Strong early rain in late-December was ideal in the end as it filled the soil moisture stores and disease was controlled by long lingering heat through January and February. It didn't rain again until a big burst of hail in early February which was a worry at first but, again, rapid heat post the event dried out the damaged berries and actually resulted in looser, better ripening bunches.

We handpicked at around 10.5 baume, most people would have put this into sparkling base but our time in the Whitlands has taught us that flavour profile is key. The 2024 is the perfect example of this coming in at 11% alcohol yet showing beautiful pure, varietal traits are classic to this little piece of grape growing paradise. 

Fully wild fermented with 25% wholebunch. It undergoes gentle twice daily pump overs for the first 7 days followed by daily plunging for the remaining 5 days to aid extraction of the soft tannins but to retain the panoply of subtle aromatics generated by the vineyard and vinification technique.

A subtle and elegant Pinot, maybe one for the purists or maybe not. Nose of squid ink and plum skin with a palate of light black forest fruits and forest undergrowth, raspberry lolly and dusty tannin which will open in the glass over time. The tasting note section is probably not the spot to get politcal but these wines show why Whitlands should have been declared a region in its own right. Light and delicate but with concentration coming through in the mid palate and a persistent finish. Best enjoyed with hoi sin sauce licked off a spoon of sentimental value, or venison sausage without fennel seeds. - Al and Sam, Winemakers.