Pinot Gris 2009

Tasting Note

The 2009 Pinot Gris will appeal to many, rich nectar juice, spice and white peach mix with a creamy vanilla and hints of acidy in the form of waxy apples. An elegantly perfumed wine. With its higher acidity and bright aromatics, a soft viscosity derived from lees contact and a lengthy palate are combined to give an overall impression of richness coupled with freshness. The nose shows complex exotic aromas of ripe quince paste, almond and damask rose.

Accolades

“I saw the grapes for this wine being hand-picked and noted a significant amount of botrytis. The final wine shows no botrytis character, perhaps through rigorous sorting before the grapes were crushed. Attractive pure pear and mineral flavours. Nicely balanced with a pleasantly dry-ish finish.”
Bob Campbell, MW www.bobswinereviews.com

“This is a nicely drinking dry style (most of them being a little sweeter) Pinot Gris. It’s gentle on the nose displaying citrus, apple and subtle stonefruit characters. The palate is vibrant and zesty with a juicy mouthfeel and crisp acidity. At its best: now to 2012. Aug 2010.”

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

“A stylish wine, with pleasant fruit hinting of lime and peach with a suggestion of mint, a background nuttiness and a firmly structured, dry finish.”
Charmian Smith, Otago Daily Times, Wed, 9 Jun 2010

Further Vintage Reports & Tasting notes

Vineyard
Isabel Estate Block 1, Rows 75-97
Block 2, Rows 25-62
Block 3, Rows 1-19, 42-61, 85-96
McGinlay Vineyard

Variety

Pinot Gris Clones: Barrie and Mission
Selle Ovaille 2-15 & 2-16

Harvest Date
3rd – 16th April 2009

Bottling Date
10th July 2009

Pinot Gris really loves Marlborough… in early Summer we need to carry out serious bunch thinning, even after ‘laying down’ low to moderate bud numbers at pruning time. The other challenge with this variety is to achieve complete fruit ripeness without the sugar levels going through the roof and the resulting high alcohol and/or high residual sugar in the wine which is, we believe, undesirable and not the style our vineyard aims for.

During the growing season too much sun on the ripening bunches can, we believe, thicken and over colour the skins. This can lead to a more “phenolic grainy profile” in the wine countering that desired silky texture of well-grown Pinot Gris wines.

- Mike Tiller

Fruit was picked at optimal ripeness, albeit very late into the season. The long growing season was ideal to obtain varietal and natural expression of the Pinot Gris characteristics – a healthy pinky-grey skin brimming with flavour. Juice was cold settled and racked to stainless steel tanks where a cold, 10 –14 OC, was mantained as we sought to retain freshness and crispness. A soft viscosity was derived from an extended two months lees contact, building palate weight, body, structure and complexity.

- Patricia Miranda

Harvest Analysis
Brix: 22.5-23.2
pH: 3.2-3.5
TA: 6.0-7.41

Wine Analysis
13.0% alcohol
6.7g/l Titratable acidity
4.7g/l residual sugar