This is my fifth release of Forager Pinot Noir. 2016 was a balanced season with mid summer rains and otherwise warm and dry conditions. The bunches were full after a good flowering and ripe with a mix of red and dark fruits. Hand-picked and hand-sorted, the grapes are then returned to sit amongst the vines where they once grew. Giving indigenous yeasts from the vineyard the opportunity to create a true expression of the actual vineyard site. Temperature fluctuations in the vineyard environment add a layer of complexity to the fermentation process, with a prolonged pre-fermentation maceration and cooler soaking temperatures than I would expect inside a winery. This wine was picked and fermented at the Blacks Ave Vineyard, Waipara.