2014 Whitehaven Pinot Gris
Accolades
Gold Medal - Korea Wine Challenge
Gold Medal - International Aromatic Wine Competition 2014
Pure Gold - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2014
Tasting Note
Colour / Appearance:Mid straw. Aroma / Bouquet:Delicate pear, quince and red apple fruit flavours, underlined with nutmeg spice and floral notes. Palate:Full bodied with a creamy, soft texture. The clean pear and quince flavours persist on the long, generous finish. Cellaring:Already in good balance this wine can be enjoyed now. Cellaring for a year or two will add texture and complexity enhancing the true varietal characters. Food Match:Best enjoyed with food. We recommend dishes featuring smoked salmon, mushrooms or light game. Pasta and egg will also match well. Serve:Lightly chilled.
Wine Analysis
Alcohol:14.0%Residual Sugar:6.0 g/L Titratable Acidity:5.0 g/L pH:3.60
Viticulture
Harvest Date:31st March – 2nd April 2014 Climate:The season started with an early budburst due to a warm winter. A warm, dry spring and early summer resulted in ideal growing conditions and healthy yields. Mid-season rain spells aided plant growth and canopy vigour. Some cooler weather over January was followed by a warm, dry ripening period. Vine Management:Vines are trained to two canes on a vertical trellis, with balanced pruning, shoot thinning, tucking and trimming to achieve an open, healthy canopy.
Vinification
Winemaking:A portion of the fruit was hand-picked and whole cluster pressed. The balance was machine harvested in cool evening conditions, pressed with minimal skin contact and a press cut taken. The clear juice was fermented at very low temperature with selected yeast strains to preserve the inherent fruit flavours. After fermentation, the wine was regularly stirred on the yeast lees to develop a creamy texture and mouth feel. Winemaker:Sam Smail and Rowan Langdon.