Rowland Wines

2000 JILL'S VINEYARD PINOT NOIR, NEW ZEALAND A Day in the Lives of Zac, Otto and Molly!      Zac (a.k.a. fat boy), Otto and Molly are three of the most tireless workers in the vineyard at Central Otago. Their importance to our operation is measured by continuity of cases produced. A consistent yield of quality fruit means job security, and, as far as I’m concerned, their contribution is invaluable.      You may ponder how these three unsung heroes save so much fruit. Is it their day-to-day attention to pruning, leaf removal, and shoot positioning? Or do they arise in the middle of the night to ward off the Spring and Fall frosts that might cause fruit damage and loss? Although these jobs are all valiant and critical in the yearly vineyard cycle, alas their task is a peskier one: pest eradication.      To cut to the chase- no pun intended- these three shaggy individuals are, in fact, farm dogs. It is their assignment to check under the enormous nets suspended over the entire vineyard, keeping hungry birds from the fruit. The netting is so fine that it can trap a wasp which, if it managed to enter, would eat the flesh of the berry. Each day, the dogs must rally any birds that might enter through a tear in the net and escort them to one corner of the vineyard, where their owner can lift the net and let the feathered villains escape.      In the 2000 season two weeks before harvest, local growers that did not use netting lost 80% of their crop in only two days to birds; the wasps finished the job. Just another insight to grape growing in Central Otago. Notes and Stats Style: Accadian Harvested: 2.4 ton/acre @ 34F 10 AM Yeast: 30% Wild yeast, 70% cultivated Rhone Valley yeast. Time on Skins: Cold Maceration 14 days, 34 days total on skins Fermentation Type: 100% Whole berry, open-top fermentation Cooperage: 100% French Oak; 50% new, 50% 1-2 year old Clarification: Lightly fined, unfiltered Vineyard Location: 100 % Jill's Vineyard, New Zealand - Central Otago Case Production:  224 Case Production: September 1, 2001     Winemakers Notes: Aromas of strawberry, cedar and Asian spice. The rich flavors of berries, faint coffee, subtle red plum, and creamy oak are complex with exceptional depth, followed by a long, flavorful and spicy finish. Back to Releases page... Also be sure to learn about...