Winery & Vintage Info
For the 2023/4 growing season, we saw the change to an El Nino-driven weather system, resulting in dryness to the East of New Zealand. On March 14th, 2024, drought conditions were declared in Marlborough. Fortunately, the winter of 2023 was very wet, the second wettest on record, which was ideal for replenishing the soil and aquifers ahead of the new growing season. However, intermittent frosts in late October during the crucial flowering period led to a lower crop size for 2024. The lower yield, combined with near-perfect autumn weather during harvest, produced fruit with exceptional concentration and purity.
After harvest the fruit was pressed before the juice was transferred into tank for fermentation. Yeasts specially selected to add texture and aromatics were used to prompt the ferment. Winemakers stopped the ferment at the precise time the balance of flavour and classic Marlborough acidity in the blend was achieved. The alcohol was then delicately removed using Giesen's spinning cone creating a full-flavoured Pinot Gris that is 50% less alcohol and 45% less calories compared to 12.5% alc./vol. wine.
