Seifried Nelson Pinot Gris 2023

93 Points (5 Stars) - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2023, New Zealand

Vineyard: Seifried Queen Victoria, Brightwater and Rabbit Island vineyards
Sugar at Harvest: 22.3°Brix
Date of Harvest: Mid March 2023
pH of Wine: 3.37
T.A of Wine: 8.3g/L
Residual Sugar of Wine: 5.3g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

The 2023 Seifried Nelson Pinot Gris was harvested from across three of our estate vineyards sites.

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.

The Brightwater vines are grown in an extremely stony area of the vineyard where water and nutrient levels are low. This helps us to restrict plant vigour and to crop at low levels. 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 Pinot Gris grapes.

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 Pinot Gris was harvested from vineyard blocks comprising differing soils, micro-climates, and clones, as well as different aged vines. The parcels were harvested and fermented separately prior to blending at a much later stage. The finished wine has a broad palate and is full-flavoured, bringing a unique and complex spectrum of characters to the wine.