Grand Bateau Rouge 2022 by Chateau Beychevelle

Hand-picked, individual parcels were destemmed without crushing into small open-top fermenters. The fruit was soaked until natural fermentation commenced before a selected yeast strain was inoculated to carry on and finish the fermentation, which was hot and quick. During this time, the ferments were worked to extract tannins appropriate to fruit weight and intensity. The more aromatic parcels were pressed off skins within five days of dryness, and the Swiss clones spent up to two weeks on skins. Parcels then went to barrel where we used only 5% new oak, instead opting for a high percentage of one-year-old (20%) to better match fruit weight. The wine then spent 12 months in barrel undergoing malolactic fermentation in spring, before being lightly fined and course pad filtered prior to bottling. Colour: Crimson and pink flashes against a plummy red base. Aroma: Aromatics of currant pastries, woody spice’s, and manuka leaf, leading to notes of forest undergrowth and florals. Palate: Moderate fruit sweetness, fine tannin and restrained volume allow savoury elements to splice evenly into the tart red fruit. A very enjoyable aromatic pinot noir, with good fruit density pH: 3.70 Acidity: 5.25 g/L