Gibbston Valley School House Central Otago Pinot Gris 2019

Description

• Off-dry style
• Ripe fig
• Honeycomb
• Long finish

Bright straw gold colour. The nose has a bright array of honeycomb and fig aromatics. The palate is rich and decadent, with a lush expansion of beautifully shaped ripe fruit. Elegant and long, it continues with a fine persistance. The 2019 School House Pinot Gris will be at its best after 5 - 8 years.

Drawing from Gibbston Valley’s most intriguing vineyards, the Single Vineyard range gives full voice to site. This wine draws its fruit from a small, east sloping section of the School House block with east/west vine orientation. 420m above sea level, its complex glacial sands and schist combine with the slope to ensure low fertility, moderate vine growth, and small concentrated bunches. Cool daytime temperatures elongate ripening, meaning wines from here have a remarkable intensity, elegance and perfume. BioGro certified organic.

A very high quality vintage, in spite of a severe October frost. Warm spring and summer conditions gave even bunch weights and moderate yields. Benign conditions continued through to picking, with sufficient rainfall to keep vines healthy. Fruit at harvest was in beautiful conditon.

Fruit was hand picked, whole bunch pressed and fermented in a blend of accacia puncheons (60%) and stainles steel barriques (40%). The natural fermentation was long and gradual, eventually stopping at 9g/L RS. The wine gradually built layers of subtle texture during 10 months of aging on full lees.