Wither Hills Early Light Pinot Gris

Lighther in alcohol with fresh classic aromas of bright white peach, grapefruit and pear with a spicy apple character underlying the primary citrus fruits.

Aromas

Fresh classic aromas of bright white peach, grapefruit and pear with a spicy apple character underlying the primary citrus fruits.

Palate

Although lighter in alcohol, this wine displays a wonderful lush palate with generous weight and texture, with the fresh acidity enhancing the apple and pear flavours.

Winemaking

Our vineyards were harvested early to capture optimum flavour ripeness while ensuring that less natural sugar was produced to convert into alcohol in this lower alcohol wine. 13 small and strategically selected vineyard sites, including our coastal Rarangi vineyard, were harvested and kept separate throughout the winemaking process to provide vineyard integrity and also offer the greatest possible number of blending combinations. The fruit was hand and machine picked, gently pressed, ambiently settled, racked and cool fermented in stainless steel tanks and a small proportion of French oak barriques with selected yeast strains to enhance the unique aromatics and flavours.

Viticulture

Marlborough was sun-drenched throughout late spring and summer as the 2014 growing season saw daily temperatures consistently above long-term averages, resulting in one of the warmest summers in the last decade. Flowering and fruit set progressed without concern and we knew we were set up for a great harvest. With the warm weather continuing, ripening progressed quickly and harvest commenced earlier than in previous years. In true Marlborough style, flavours showed great intensity early in the season, but patience was certainly rewarded with the increase in concentration, complexity and balance as the fruit basked in the Marlborough sunshine.