Noon Eclipse is predominantly Grenache (80%+) with smaller proportions of Shiraz and Graciano. The grapes come from the three Noon ‘home’ vineyards in McLaren Vale. The grapes are hand-picked and fermented in small, open vats with hand-plunging to help extract colour and tannins. Pressing is also by hand, using a basket press, followed by 18 months’ maturation in a combination of used 300-litre French and American oak barrels and larger oak casks. Eclipse may be high in alcohol as a result of Noon’s desire to harvest grapes when fully ripe and not to interfere with what the vineyard and the season has provided. Annual production is between 700 and 800 dozen. Grapes sourced from McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek. Producer tasting notes: "Produced from 90% Grenache, 6% Shiraz and 4% Graciano all grown on our McLaren Vale vineyard. The new Eclipse has a lovely perfume of fresh red currants and wild strawberries. It almost smells of summer, all exotic berries and spice. The texture is smooth and full bodied, filling every corner of your mouth. The balance is very good particularly considering the generosity of flavour here, with a long firm clean (almost refreshing) finish." - Noon Winery Alcohol ABV: 15 - 15.5%
