Little Beauty Black Edition Pinot Gris 2013

The 2013 Black Edition Pinot Gris has warm summertime aromatics: sun ripened, warm, soft figs, grilled hazelnuts and slow roasted quinces plus a hint of brown sugar. The palate is rich and slightly oily. The kernel type flavours give a serious line to the palate, which finishes rounded and voluptuous, but dry. Intriguing wine for the gastronomic sector. And ideal for wine lovers hoping to discover something totally different/unique.

Viticulture: The crop is colour thinned at veraison and leaf plucked to attain full ripeness. The bronze/copper coloured bunches are on a 2 cane VSP trellis system and are hand harvested only when showing full physiological ripeness.

The bins of hand harvested fruit were loaded into a tank press and whole bunch pressed to avoid extracting the natural phenolics the variety carries. Free run juice was enzyme settled before being racked into old white barrels for a natural ferment.

The wine remained on ferment lees in barrel for 15 months. A couple of barrels went through a natural malolactic fermentation during this time. Barrels used were all Burgundy cooperages: Cadus, Mercurey and Francois Freres and ranged in age from 10 to 20 years old. The goal is for the Oak to be subtle, but supportive.