Menu
Vintage - 2016
| 4th August, 2015 | Pruning |
|---|---|
| 3rd September, 2015 | |
| Budburst | |
| 17th October, 2015 | |
| Shoot thinning | |
| 9th November, 2015 | |
| Flowering | |
| 11th January, 2016 | |
| Verasion | |
| 28th February, 2016 | |
| Harvest at Nine One Six: all bunches hand picked | |
| 28th February, 2016 | |
| Winemaker Ben Haines receives grapes and decides on whole berry ferment. | |
| 28th February, 2016 | |
| Fermentation starts naturally, no additions | |
| 12th March, 2016 | |
| Pressed off skins. | |
| 12th April, 2016 | |
| Wine to barrels: a combination of 2-5 year old barriques from Vosges, Troncais and Allier Forests in France. | |
| 18th July 2017 | |
| From barrel to bottling under Nine One Six branded 10 DIAM cork from Portugal. | |
| 19th July 2017 | |
| Bottle laid down in temperature controlled cellar at 15% degrees, moderate relative humidity, with very minimal light exposure, before release. | |
| 2nd August 2018 | |
| Nine One Six Pinot Noir Vintage 2016 SOUTH release. |
Winemaker Notes
Nine One Six seemed to be in a world of its own in vintage 2016. This was quite an anomalous
vintage for the Yarra Valley in general terms. A warm, dry spring led to early but even
budburst, and a warm, dry summer saw one of the earliest harvests on record across the
region, with many producers finishing harvest by early March – before Easter! Unusual in
its own right, but it was even an early Easter!
Perplexingly, however, the harvest date at Nine One Six was only a week out from the same
harvest date in 2015, perhaps reflective of the vineyard’s distinct location and mesoclimate. The vintage presented challenges when it came to balancing phenolic maturity
with a rapid boost in sugar accumulation. Waiting patiently for tannins to fully mature and
for the full range of flavour to develop was critical; and getting the balance right with
capturing natural acids in the grapes. Tricky indeed, and a real balancing act – harvest
timing was absolutely key.
The rewards for getting the harvest timing right were significant. The wines present with
great personality and with generous fruit and spice attributes that I’ve not seen from Nine One Six before. The range of character across the property was also compelling, and reveals a
story of the property that will continue to be told.
Having harvested multiple sections of the property separately, the winemaking approach
was focused on expressing the true character of each. It was important to not interfere,
but pay attention to doing the right things at the right times to enhance the inherent
character of each parcel. The most important elements to this approach were to
encourage natural fermentation, avoid the use of additives, monitor temperatures
throughout fermentation, avoid the use of new oak, and commit to a long maturation
period on lees to allow time for the wines to develop their personality. No fining or
filtration. Nothing added. Nothing removed. As a result, the comparisons between the
parcels are stunning.
It was for this reason that we decided to bottle two sections of the vineyard separately.
Vibrant natural acidity brings a freshness and some tension that promises to carry the
South wine for many years to come. The core of fruit is very fresh; very primary and well
defined, clinging to the acids in a way that creates tension and length but also gives a nice
savoury edge to the wines. The 2016 wines are indeed reflective of the season, and the
unfolding narrative of Nine One Six Pinot Noir.
“Meaty and wild. This is pinot noir to make your head spin. Cranberry, musk, sour cherry, sweet herbs, tang and silk. It offers some kind of journey and impresses as some kind of wonderful. If you get the chance you must try this. It’s captivating.”
Halliday Wine Companion 96 Points