L.A.S. Vino Albino Pinot 2023

“Strawberries + cream in a bottle” that sees Pinot Noir (off skins) and Chardonnay (80/20 split) fermented separately in barrel and amphora. Partial malolactic with oodles of lees stirring. Looks like a light Rose/pinot Gris, tastes like a barrel fermented white. The bottling continues to champion Nic’s vision of ‘strawberries and cream’ with this wine, but each year he likes to ‘tinker’ with the blend. The Pinot Noir comes from a lovely vineyard in Wilyabrup from some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the region, now over 40 years old.

80% Pinot Noir with 20% Chardonnay. Hand picked, hand sorted, lightly cold pressed as whole bunches to tank to settle. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were fermented separately in predominantly barrique with 16% of the Pinot Noir fermenting in Amphora.

The biggest change in 2023 was that Pinot Noir didn’t go through malolactic, a choice made by Nic in response to the warmer vintage of 2023. Lees stirring, 9 months in barrel. No new oak used. The varietals then blended and bottled with no fining and a light filtration