Like Rocket Chardonnay, 2023 Apollo Pinot Noir is sourced entirely from the Downers’ Lenswood Vineyard in the subregion of the same name in the Adelaide Hills. This beautiful site is perched at 500 metres and is home to some of the oldest vines in the
Lenswood area. Since taking over the property, Downer and his team have worked tirelessly to bring farming and fruit quality at this already revered site up to the exacting Murdoch Hill standards. That work has quickly paid off, with Lenswood now the sole source for the estate’s flagship Apollo Pinot Noir.
Initially planted in 1989, the Pinot Noir accounts for 35% of the acreage under vine (just under 10 hectares). There are four blocks: two were planted in the early 2000s to Dijon 114 and 115 (facing southwest), and the D5V12 blocks were planted in 1989 in the top corner of the vineyard, facing east. Fruit for 2022 Apollo came from the two 1989 blocks—one very rich in ironstone, giving a deep tannin profile to the fruit—and one of the 114/115 clone blocks. The vines sit in lean, loamy soils with seams of ironstone and quartz throughout. The clonal complexity gives a dense core of fruit as well as structure and excellent fragrance. The fruit is mainly destemmed (10% bunches) and spends 10-21 days on skins. Maturation occurs in a mix of barrel sizes (barrique, puncheon and demi-muid; approximately 35% new wood) for nine months. Downer works with tight-grained, low-impact barrels to build texture and structure in the wines.