Mt Difficulty Target Gully Pinot Noir 2016 | Ewineasia.com

The grapes for the wines that carry the Mt Difficulty label are subject to two strict criteria: they are managed under the umbrella of the Mt Difficulty viticultural team and must be sourced from vineyards situated in a very specific area - the South side of the Kawarau River at Bannockburn. Mt Difficulty Single Vineyard wines are even more site specific, created to express the terroir from which they come, and thus Mt Difficulty Target Gully Pinot Noir is the essence of the vineyard itself. Target Gully is comprised of Lochar soils. Lochar soils are well-drained, high pH soils ideally suited to viticulture with about 30cm of top soil over fine to moderately coarse gravels. The fruit for this wine comes from 20-plus year old vines with mixture of traditional clones.

Target Gully Pinot Noir is hand crafted in very limited quantities and only released in outstanding vintages. This vintage shows a classic Target Gully slightly cooler fruit expression more focused on silky red cherry alongside distinctive liquorice / anise spice character. Dense supple silky red fruits of the forest introduce the wine, this silken quality flows into a sensuous mid-palate which finishes strongly with a combination of fruit and finely grained tannin. The wine moves seamlessly and lithely on the palate.