This is my seventh release of Forager Pinot Noir. 2018 was a very warm season…Good flowering conditions and sustained warmth lead to plentiful bunches. Crop levels were reduced through manual thinning to around 6.5 T/Ha. 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. This season the warmth led to a shorter cold-soak leading to slightly lighter colour – perhaps more Pinot-esque. This is the second time I have taken fruit from the Isolated Hill Vineyard in North Canterbury and whilst the wines show contrasting seasons, the textural background shares common ground.