The Old Coach Road Pinot Noir 2010 is again brimming with ripe berry fruit characters and fine earthy notes. Velvety tannins together with thyme notes complement well integrated oak on the palate. The grapes were picked and then underwent a six day cold maceration period before being inoculated for fermentation. The cap was plunged three times daily during fermentation. A further seven days of skin contact followed the fermentation period before the wine was drained to oak barrels for an immediate malolactic fermentation and ageing. Our Rabbit Island vineyards are situated on a wide river flat. The soil is made up of gravelly sandy loam, which marks the sites of Maori kumara beds (sweet potato) prior to European settlement in the early 1800's. The Maori transferred and spread fine gravel and sand over the land to provide suitable soils for their kumara plantings. Scrub was burned to give ash and charcoal, which increased soil fertility and gave characteristic topsoil. This fe