Helen & Joey Estate

Alena Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2017

The 2017 Alena Pinot noir has a pale garnet hue. The nose is pure summer with cherry, macerated strawberry and raspberry fruit bursting from the glass. This is all finely underpinned by the subtle vanilla, cinnamon and clove spice aromas from the oak. Elegant, silky tannins support the black olive, sage and rose petal flavours.The 2017 Alena Pinot noir has a pale garnet hue. The nose is pure summer with cherry, macerated strawberry and raspberry fruit bursting from the glass. This is all finely underpinned by the subtle vanilla, cinnamon and clove spice aromas from the oak. Elegant, silky tannins support the black olive, sage and rose petal flavours.
Our 2017 Alena Pinot noir may be enjoyed now but will reward time in bottle. The wine has been made to age and improve in bottle. Drink it with sage stuffed porchetta or mushroom risotto.
Just under 5 tonnes of Pinot noir was picked on February2017 from our cane pruned vines in E block. About 80% of the grapes were destemmed and crushed but we were careful to leave about 15% whole berries in the must. Of the remaining 20%, we destemmed and crushed most of the fruit but left about 10% of the berries intact. A further 0.5 tonne of fruit, picked on 19 February, 2017, was fermented as whole bunches.
The cap was managed very carefully, using punch downs to extract the colour and tannins. Once alcoholic fermentation was complete, the wine was left in contact with the skins for a further two weeks prior to pressing off. The wine was then aged in oak barriques and hogsheads for 9 months prior to blending and bottling. The barrels we use are a mix of 30% new, 30% one year old and the remainder being 2 to 3 years old.