Maison de Turps Tumbarumba Noir en Blanc 2023

The 2023 Noir en Blanc is made using hand-picked Pinot Noir grown by Juliet Cullen at Excelsior Peak Vineyard at an elevation of 630m in the southern part of Tumbarumba (Western slopes of the Snowy Mountains).

The fruit was whole-bunch pressed in a basket press to concrete egg, where it picked up very minimal colour from the slow pressing process resulting in an enticing light amber colour.

Both primary and full malolactic fermentation took place naturally with indigenous yeasts/bacteria, and a modest addition of SO2 was used at the end of fermentation before being matured for 10 months in barrel.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

This wine was made with very little intent or pretense, but rather a fun experiment due to having excess Pinot Noir. Leaps out of the glass with orange oil and pear, with underripe strawberry, ripe stonefruit, pear, and candied ginger on the medium-weighted palate with the slightest hint of tannin and phenolic spice adding nuance and drive to the wine.