Pinot Gris 2011

A fantastic growing season through-out Waipara Valley has produced this single estate Pinot Gris which is wonderfully flavoured with ripe pear and lemon aromas and a fresh palate.   

AROMA & TASTE

This wine has ripe pear and lemon on the nose along with subtle quince spice notes. Moderate acidity means the palate is lively and fresh with a great texture and a touch of sweetness.

VITICULTURAL PRACTICES

The vines are on well-drained sandy gravels and planted to a high density of 3,000 per hectare. They were hand-thinned to reduce the crop-load to under 3kg a vine and enhance depth of flavour. The grapes were harvested in April over a period of three weeks. 

WINE MAKING DETAILS

Two parcels of fruit were machine harvested, the first in early April and the second three weeks later.  They were separately pressed to tank and cold-settled. Clear juice was racked off and then inoculated with selected yeast strains. Fermentation was in stainless steel with cooling control for a fruit driven style.  The first parcel was fermented to near dryness and with the second parcel, fermentation was stopped early to leave some residual sugar.  The wine spent four months on yeast lees before blending.

Food and Wine Matching

The depth of flavour make it a very versatile wine to enjoy with just about any food. It’s ideal with roasted white meats such as pork or chicken as well as stir-fried food as the moderate acidity offsets any oiliness. The slight residual sugar means that it will go well with food that has a touch of sweetness, such as sweet and sour pork. It would also work well with goats cheese.