Old Coach Road Nelson Pinot Gris 2021

91 Points - Cameron Douglas MS, The Shout, September 2021
90 Points (4.5 Star) - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2021, New Zealand

Vineyard: Queen Victoria, Rabbit Island, Redwood Valley and Brightwater vineyards
Sugar at Harvest: 21.4°Brix
Date of Harvest: Mid March 2021
pH of Wine: 3.39
T.A of Wine: 6.8g/L
Residual Sugar: 5.5g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

The 2021 Old Coach Road Pinot Gris is a blend of four of our Pinot Gris vineyard blocks. This allows us to take advantage of the various clones and nuances each site others.

Our Queen Victoria vineyard is located in the Motueka area in the heart of a region known for its apple orchards, kiwifruit and hops. Our grapes are grown on very stony free-draining soils giving lovely fruit clarity and varietal intensity.

Our Rabbit Island vineyard is situated on a wide river flat. The soil is gravelly, sandy loam which is very free-draining. This vineyard is about 1.5 km from the sea which helps moderate temperatures.

The unirrigated Redwood Valley vineyard is situated on a gently sloping, north-facing clay site. The vines range in age from 10 to 30 years. Vertical shoot positioning helps to expose the berries to sunlight, thus getting maximum intensity and optimal ripeness.

Our Brightwater vineyard is situated 15 km from the coast and is sheltered from the south by the Richmond Ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders which is very hard on farm equipment, but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and for ripening the grapes.

We used separate parcels of Pinot Gris from our clay-soiled vineyards and stony/silty blocks to blend a complex wine. The wine pulls together fruit from our varying estate vineyards to make the best our terroirs have to offer.