Mt Difficulty Bannockburn Pinot Gris 2025

Description

Dry, Pear, Spice

Ripe pear, tropical jasmine, and cinnamon quill aromas lead into a rich, full-bodied wine with a glossy, rounded texture from ripe fruit and lees aging. Complex yet approachable, its dryness pairs beautifully with food, while lively acidity and phenolic structure provide length and balance. Best within 1-5 years.

Grapes for Bannockburn Pinot Noir come exclusively from estate and winery managed vineyards situated on the south side of the Kawarau River. While subject to the seasonal and diurnal temperature extremes of Central Otago, each vineyard has a specific terroir and a variety.

The 2025 season continued Central Otago’s run of warm, fruitful vintages. A severe November frost reduced yields in some areas, but most vineyards met or nearly met target tonnage. Warm, sunny conditions with above-average night temperatures accelerated acidity drop, allowing earlier harvests once flavours were ripe. A notably dry season kept disease pressure very low. The resulting wines show lovely weight, concentrated fruit, and fine, silky tannins, even in their youth.

Hand-picked fruit was crushed and pressed with minimal skin contact and no added sulphur. After four days, the juice was racked for wild fermentation at warmer temperatures (18–20°C) to enhance rich textures. Some batches received yeast additions later to lift aromatics. One batch fermented in a concrete egg for added texture, while another aged in old oak barrels for lees contact and complexity. The wine remained unsulphured on lees for four months before bottling in September.