Hatter’s Hill is a selection of the best fruit from the vines on the hill blocks of Delta Vineyard, and this quality is further refined at blending, when only the best barrels are selected for this label.

Vinification

Hand-picked fruit harvested at 6 tonnes a hectare is destemmed (90%), but not crushed, and tipped into open-top fermenters that hold about 4 tonnes of fruit. 10% of whole berries and stems are added to the fermentation to give augment complexity and structure. After a 5 day cold-soak to stabilise the colour, the grapes are fermented at temperatures of up to 34°C, with frequent gentle hand-plunging. 30% of the blend is fermented with wild yeasts to add more complexity. The grapes are then pressed at dryness, except for around one third, which are left on skins for 8 days of post fermentation maceration to improve the structure of the resulting wine. After settling to remove solids, the wine is racked to French oak barrels (45% new and 30% one year old) with 25% remaining in stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation and ageing on light yeast lees. The wine is then blended and bottled after 11 months of ageing.

Tasting Note

Dark smoky cherry aromas on nose and the palate. Firm but ripe tannins with fresh acidity balancing the manifold layers of ripe fruit on the palate.


October 2006 Gold Medal
New Zealand International Wine Competition

November 2006 Gold Medal
Air New Zealand Wine Awards