A blend of 88% Pinot Gris with Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Blanc filling things out. Good friends to have. It’s mostly Upper Yarra Valley fruit. Eight weeks on lees and partial fermentation in oak. At this year’s Yarra Valley Wine Program Oakridge’s Dave Bicknell spoke about the Yarra Valley getting over its addiction to acid and embracing phenolics. This is a superb example of how beneficial that can be.
The flavours mesh well but I don’t really want to talk about them much. Nashi pear, red apple, ginger, citrus etc. What captivates me are the finessed phenolics that mark the finish and the soft acidity which leads to the gentle textural caress at the heart of the wine. There’s still form, especially as a result of the slightly crunchy back-palate grip. A touch of nutty savouriness throughout doesn’t harm proceedings one jot either. Simply a lovely and sophisticated white blend. 92
Region: Yarra Valley
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $20
Tasted: October 2013
Good price too. Will have to keep an eye out for it
Just make sure it’s a 2013 Stu. Not that the 2011 or 2012 weren’t good wines but this is a step up and as much as I do like the labels, the vintage isn’t exactly prominently printed anywhere on the bottle.
Noted. And thank you for pointing this out to your readership