Maturation

After fermentation, Hurley Vineyard Pinot Noir is matured in French oak barrels (228L made in Burgundy from the forest of Troncais) for about 20 months, of which about one quarter are new.  We now use barrels made from staves conditioned in the open air in Burgundy for four (not the standard two) years.  They are extra-tight grain and light toast. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel. It is racked under gravity only once before bottling, the lees contact promoting roundness and richness in the wine. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration. The bottles are sealed with a Diam cork closure. Each vintage the wine spends at least six months in bottle prior to release.

Kevin Bell makes the wine and his winemaking philosophy is respect for terroir and a search for purity and truth.