The Schoolhouse Pinot vineyard is a 3.5-acre planting of clone MV6 Pinot Noir on southwest-facing slopes in Woori Yallock, towards the southern edge of the Yarra Valley. The vineyard, situated on grey clay-loam soils, is owned and managed by Ivan and Andrew Ferguson.

2000 was a mild to warm season, offering the vines almost ideal conditions throughout spring and summer. Harvest conditions were warm and sunny, resulting in excellent flavour intensity, and balanced sugar and acidity in Yarra Valley Pinot Noir.

The grapes were harvested at less than 2 tonnes per acre (33 hectolitres/hectare) yield from 4-year-old vines. The fruit was in good condition, picked at 24 ºBrix and showing a little shrivel due to plenty of sun exposure through an open grapevine canopy.

Vinification involved the combination of techniques commonly applied to premium Pinot Noir around the world. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, and the must was chilled before transfer into small, open fermentation vats. Following a three-day cold-soak, a favoured Burgundy yeast strain (RC212) was introduced to provide the desired fermentation characteristics. Frequent hand plunging and high temperatures ensured a rapid fermentation, and some of the near-dry wine was run off to new French barriques for the completion of the process. The remaining wine was allowed to macerate with the skins for three days or so before pressing. Maturation in barrel, 30% new Tronçais and Allier, was judged complete after 18 months and the wine was egg-white fined, filtered once and bottled in October 2001.

Appearance:			Profound cherry-plum colour.
Nose:			Rich, ripe Pinot Noir aromas of black cherries and plums are supported by complex characters of game and "forest-floor", and sweet, fine-grained French oak.
Palate:			Solid, ripe berry-fruit flavours are supported by youthful tannins and fresh acidity. French oak is supportive but not intrusive. This intense Pinot Noir, while still relatively closed, shows great potential to build further complexity and richness over 5-8 years in bottle.