"It is beautifully fragrant on the nose showing nectarine, rockmelon, fresh pear and apple characters with a lovely floral lift. The palate is juicy and rounded, and delivers attractive fruit intensity and smooth mouthfeel, brilliantly framed by refreshing acidity, finishing crisp and lingering. At its best: now to 2019" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2017

The 2017 Blackbirch Pinot Gris is delicate yet powerful. There is an abundance of quince and ripe pear aromas with full body weight and a creamy texture, laced with gingernut and bread yeast characters. All held together with beautifully fine acidity.

The Blackbirch is a pristine alpine stream which feeds clean mountain waters into the main Awatere River. The Blackbirch range also directs cooler winds down onto the vines during the autumn months, slowing the ripening process just enough to ripen the Pinot Gris fruit to perfection. Our Pinot Gris has a delicate richness and power driven by the low cropping and fully ripened grapes hanging from the vines that have been nourished by the Blackbirch waters.

This season started warm but quickly turned cool, which resulted in less berries surviving the crucial flowering period. The low yields coupled with sound vineyard management meant by harvest, the fruit was superbly ripe and flavoursome.

The grapes were quickly pressed off the skins and fermented under very cool conditions. The ferment was stopped when the fruit sweetness complimented the fine acidity and then the wine was held in barrel for an extended period to mature and integrate with the oak.