PROVENANCE

2009 Tarrington PINOT GRIS

VINEYARD

Match of grape variety to “terroir” (growing conditions) is of paramount importance at Provenance Wines. The early ripening habit of Pinot Gris has led us on an extensive search of the cooler regions seeking preservation of natural fruit acid at flavour ripeness. When we first came across this vineyard, planted in 1999 we were very excited, it is on the outskirts of the township of Tarrington, in the Henty region of south-west Victoria. It's red buckshot soils, derived from volcanic basalt, are rich in minerals and free draining. Sitting at an altitude of 200m with an average rainfall of 700mm on a gentle north slope the low yields in the vineyard are evident in this wine resulting in concentration and vitality.

HARVEST & WINEMAKING

Handpicked during the last week of March, the fruit was whole bunch pressed in our gentle, central airbag press. Roughly cold settled in tank overnight, approximately 10% was racked to old oak the next day and left to  fermented by indigenous yeast. The balance was fermented at cool temperatures in tank. The tank portion provides fruitfulness and the barrels contribute complexity. The wine was matured for ten months on fermentation lees in both barrel & tank prior to being racked, protein and cold stabilised and then sterile filtered to bottle.

TASTING NOTE

APPEARANCE

The natural colour of Pinot Gris is there in all its beautiful glory - brilliant, glowing champagne-like straw yellow.

BOUQUET

Classic Pinot Gris fruit aromas of pear, honeysuckle and apple lift out of the glass, a subtle spearmint like aroma can also be detected. These primary fruit characters are complemented by a cashew like nutty lees underlay.

PALATE

When tasted the fruit aromas evident on the bouquet are repeated on the palate. These generous flavours are in turn complemented by a balanced thread of crunchy natural acid, ensuring both balance and zest. A creamy element (maturation on yeast lees) provides a perfect foil to the natural coarseness of rich Pinot Gris. A feature of this wine is its persistent flavour, built on the balancing components of fruit flavour, lees influence and minerally acid.

Upfront and fresh in character, generous yet fine, a rich, balanced, varietally true, Pinot Gris.

FOOD MATCHES 

White fleshed fish, mushroom risotto, roast pork and apple, asian styled spicy dishes - awesome with Tom Yum soup. An absolute taste sensation with fresh crayfish, fresh white bread and quality butter.

INDEPENDANT REVIEWS

If I was running a wine bar I'd have this on the menu lickety-split. It's the perfect pinot gris to have 'on the pour'. It tastes interesting - notes of honeysuckle, slate, ginger, spice, lime, wax and nectarine - and complex and yet it's textural too. It feels good in your mouth. It has some kind of oxidative hit but it finishes fresh and dry. Really liked this.  93/100 - Campbell Mattinson Winefront

Deep bronze-pink; an interesting wine, not a quality normally associated with Pinot Gris, although - as demonstrated here - there are exceptions; strong spiced pear, apple and quince drive the bouquet and palate alike. From the Pierrepoint Vineyard in the very cool Henty region.  93/100 - James Halliday Wine Companion

Winemaker Scott Ireland has a way with gris: this, his latest release, was made from fruit grown in the cool south-west of Victoria, and combines peachy fatness with lovely finesse and a crisp finish. Drink with rustic terrine. Max Allen Gourmet Traveller September 2010