Doctors Flat is an elevated three hectare vineyard in Bannockburn, Central Otago, where schist sub soils, clay and fine silt all provide Pinot Noirs with great density and complexity. This is a full bodied, dark take on the Central Otago Pinot theme, made from three Dijon clones of Pinot; 115, 777 and 114 by winemaker Steve Davies. It was fermented in small tanks with wild yeasts with 22% whole bunches in the ferment followed by about 22 days on skins and 12 months ageing in French oak, 24% new... The result is a big wine with density and weight, firm smooth tannins that suggest a long life ahead.
A bottle of the 2017 enjoyed with a friend two weeks ago (at the time of writing, making it mid October) shows this vineyard site creates wines of great longevity - it can age for six to seven years and then some.
