Heaps Good Modri Pinot
Winery: Heaps Good Wine Co.
Classification: Dry white wine
Varietals: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Ritoznoj, Pohorje Foothills, Lower Styria (Štajerska), Slovenia
Density & Yield: 5,000 vines/ha; 2 kg/vine
Annual Production: 880 bottles
Alcohol: 11.70%
Climate: Continental, with dry and hot summers, and snowy winters
Terrain: Clay, with smaller amounts of sand and marl. Southern exposure, 400 meters altitude.
Farming: No irrigation. No herbicide. No cultivation. Environmentally friendly and sustainable viticulture, with respect for the land.
Vinification: Destemmed into open top fermenters, 15% whole bunches. Natural pre-fermentation cold maceration at ambient temperature for 9 days. No added yeast. Pressed to tank after the completion of alcoholic fermentation, a total of 19 days on skins, racked to barrel 24 hours after pressing. 500 L French barrels used. Malolactic fermentation allowed to spontaneously start. Racked from barrels in September 2018 and bottled with minimal sulphur addition.
Tasting Notes: The 'Ritzonoj' tier of wines are the highest quality wines of Heaps Good Wine Co. and the barrel selection of all his vineyards. Nick's work excels in the cellar, perfecting the precise ferments, ageing and blends, and this is most prominent in these wines: nuanced and complex but always so vibrant and elegant. Starting with the 2022 vintage, Nick will begin dedicating his entire production to this level of production. For now, the production is very small while balancing his value-based wines.
Very elegant, with a hint of cherry fruit. Smooth tannins, firm acidity, well integrated oak. Cherry and plum fruit on the palate, supported by a subtle hint of rich coffee.