GIESEN MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2009

 

TASTING NOTES

The 2009 Pinot Gris is an elegant wine showing refined, pure fruit. There are aromas of tinned pears, subtle spice and creamy vanilla.  Elegance is to the fore on the palate as well but with fruit weight and a slight viscosity to balance. There are musky and fresh floral flavours and old fashioned green apple flavours on the finish.

 

WINEMAKING NOTES

The 2009 growing season was long and warm with cool nights towards the end of summer, ideal for producing Pinot Gris with elegant varietal expression. These vines are low volume producers but still get thinned to reduce bunch numbers to ensure the fruit achieves maturity without excessive sugar and therefore alcohol. The fruit was harvested in several parcels when each was at optimal ripeness.

 

The juice was then cold settled and  fermented at relatively cool temperatures (10 to 14°C) in stainless steel tanks using selected yeasts – that is yeasts that allow the natural aromatics of the fruit to show through, enhance palate texture and will ferment steadily at cool temperatures. The wine was left for several months maturation on yeast lees after fermentation intending to add more layers to the aroma and complexity, weight and structure to the palate. A light fining with caseinprepared the wine for bottling in March 2010.

 

WINEMAKING DATA

Brix at harvest:  22.5 to 23.2 

pH in wine:  3.42

Total Acidity at harvest: 6 to 7.41 g/L

TA in wine:  7.1 g/L

pH at harvest: 3.2 to 3.5

Alcohol:   13%

Aging potential:  up to 4 years

Residual Sugar : 7.5 g/L

 

WINEMAKER

 Andrew Blake