MUSEUM RELEASE - 2012 Pinot Noir

From our third ever Pinot Noir release. Full of new confidence and the naivety of youth. 

As we read back over the notes from 2012 you can feel the blind optimism of a young winemaker full of Pinot Noir hopes and dreams. Before any accolades and before events like Pinot Palooza would put Vinteloper in the Pinot spotlight, the 2011 and 2012 seasons is where the foundations were poured.

After almost a decade in the bottle, we're ready for you to see that awkward photo of us when we were a teenager. 

Remembering 2012

Notes from the time express that 2012 "will long be remembered as generally being one of the greats" which isn't a complete exaggeration. There is no crystal ball of course, but at the time we had no clue how great 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021 would be. This was the beginning of a dream run. 

The 2012 growing season did feature generous Winter rainfall at Norton Summit, followed by a slightly warmer than average Spring, accelerating flowering, however gentle and mild ripening conditions for the Adelaide Hills. 

Further Cellaring time?

FROM THE ORIGINAL RELEASE.
A proclamation of strong varietal character is the signature of this wine. The bouquet is fresh with lifted sour cherry, green tea and spice over subtle red fruit and vanilla bean.

On the palate, layer upon layer of spice, strawberry, rose petal and a hint of cigar box delivers a complex but focussed Pinot Noir with true varietal expression.

FROM THE MUSEUM RELEASE.
The strong varietal characters are still the protagonists. The complex array of spice on the palate remains but is now fully integrated with primary fruit characters of sour cherry and secondary developed characters of freshly turned earth and leather.

It's looking super interesting and well worth diving into a bottle or two.

An incredibly important vineyard site in the history of Vinteloper.
Morialta Vineyard, Norton Summit.
Adelaide Hills.
Planted 1994.
Clone D5V12.
N/S row orientation.
N facing sloping aspect.

A Single Vineyard site where Vinteloper purchased grapes from 2011 to 2015.
For a portion of that time Vinteloper leased blocks of the vineyard, taking all responsibility for growing and maintaining the vines.

That experience was positively formative, and contributed to the purchase of Vinteloper Vineyard in 2018.

Hand harvested at "The Great Pinot Pick # 3" by close friends and followers of Vinteloper.
50% foot trodden to incorporate stems and stalks.
50% destemmed into small open fermenters.
Wild yeast fermentation
12 days on skins.
100% French Oak. 0% new oak.
10 months matured in Oak barriques.
Only 1320 bottles produced.

You are welcome to go freestyle here...
We are Pinot heads. Obsessed.
So when we are tastings museum release Pinot Noir it is our sole focus.
Is there food we will be enjoying with it? Yes. But we're going to leave the specifics up to you.
The vibe of the wine? Its subtlety is its greatest strength. Go for pairings that will not dominate your palate and reduce the noise so you can hear the whispers from a complex aged Pinot Noir.

The funny thing about awards is that a lot of them have a minimum production requirement. 1320 bottles weren't enough for most Wine Shows or Awards so we are thin on accolades for the 2012 release.