Lawson's Dry Hills Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris 2018

Description

The wine is light straw in colour and offers aromas of red apple, pear, nectarine and nougat. This a very easy to drink wine, smooth and rounded, dry and with medium weight. Crisp and dry, medium weight with a juicy mid-palate and a nice gentle finish. Ripe apple, poached pear and citrus flavours. Enjoy now or over the next two to three years.

These grapes were grown in the Waihopai Valley (Vineyards Sion and Biddy Barnsley) 2/15 clone, cane-pruned, shoot-thinned followed by successive fruit thinning to reduce crop level and ensure uniformity of ripeness. Soil is wind-blown loess over clay pan and the clay soils play an important part by providing weight and mouthfeel to the wine.

2018 was a relatively warm season led to picking this block quite early, on the 26th of March. The grapes were gently pressed and the free-run juice was fermented in tank while the pressings were encouraged to undergo spontaneous (wild) ferment in old French barriques. Post ferment the wine was left to rest on lees for several months before the free-run and pressing portions were carefully blended.

Food Pairing: Soft, white and mild blue cheeses, creamy pasta, coconut-based curries, chicken and pork.