Tasting Notes for Seresin Leah Pinot Noir 2023 from the Winery

A blend deriving from our favourite Pinot Noir Clones on Osip hill, a north facing slope the sits majestically onthe Raupo vineyard. Leah is named after Michael Seresin’s daughter. This gorgeous Pinot Noir reflects the cool climate growing conditions that endure in the Omaka Valley, Marlborough. Vibrant, crunchy and expressing dense dark fruit aromas that integrate well with spice and earthy notes. The palate is fleshy and structured, yet supple and elegant. It held together by focused, fine acidity.

Winemaking

The fruit was hand-picked, destemmed and fermented in small batches. Fermentation was with a combination of both wild and selected yeasts. The wine was left on skins for 3-4 weeks with gentle plunging during ferment, before being drained, lightly pressed and transferred to aged French Oak barrels. The wine went through natural malolactic fermentation during 10 months maturation, before it was bottled lightly filtered and unfined.

Vintage

2023 will be remembered for its challenging nature, which kept us on our toes after a run of remarkably effortless vintages in a row. Dry, stable weather over flowering lead to an abundant fruit set, and with consistent small rain events we enjoyed fantastic vigour across the whole vineyard. Leading into the harvest period the region endured some significant rainfall events, which increased berry and bunch size, but also disease pressure, unfortunately. Luckily we had an excellent team working tirelessly in the vineyard to mitigate this and also crop thin throughout the whole vineyard, with an extra focus on the Pinot Noir. We started picking Pinot Noir on 16th March and finished picking with a botrytis style Riesling on 19th May.

t must be said, after the early and fast and furious nature of the previous vintages, a vintage that was a touch later and spread out between each variety was really welcomed. With a great picking team and a focus solely on the Raupo vineyard, we were able to pick each plot before any real disease pressure took a hold..

Viticulture 

Our clay rich Raupo Creek vineyard, farmed following organic and biodynamic principles is located in the centre of the Omaka Valley. This vineyard has a gentle north-west facing aspect and enjoys high sunshine hours and minimal rain.

Wine Details

pH - 3.55
TA - 5.8
RS - Dry
Alc - 14%
Total SO2 - 52ppm
Vineyard: Raupo Creek 
Clones - 10/5, 777, 5, & Abel 6
Yield - 6 Tonnes/ hectare
Oak - 10 months, 15% new

ABOUT SERESIN ESTATE WINES

Estate grown grapes from organic and biodynamic vineyards are handpicked and transformed into artisan wines through gentle, traditional winemaking – wine of passion, grace and spirit. Acknowledging Seresin’s ongoing commitment to sound environmental practices as a winegrower, Seresin won the Marlborough District Council’s 2009 Marlborough Environment Award.

(SKU: SE_Lea_CV)