Fruit for the 2021 Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Pinot Gris was grown on our Little Hampton Vineyard near Trentham.
A cool summer and mild spring led to a very long 2021 growing season. With a La Niña pattern set in over Australia it was the coolest vintage in ten years. Crop levels were good and careful canopy thinning was required throughout the season to keep airflow and invite sun onto the grapes. The 740m elevation of Little Hampton gives the site extra cool nights, helping to retain natural acidity in the grapes. These ripened very late in the season with full flavour and phenolic ripeness.
Hand-harvested fruit was firmly whole bunch-pressed to release the full Pinot Gris flavour profile. Natural fermentation occurred in older French barrels. The wine was left to unwind and age slowly on its ferment lees to add generosity. After nine months the wine was racked and filtered prior to bottling in October 2021. Alcohol 12.2%; RS 0.2g/L; pH 3.14; TA 7g/L.
The wine is light straw in colour, with a green hue and brilliant clarity. This high-altitude Pinot Gris displays great aromatic lift. Pot pourri, lychee and green melon notes leap from the glass. Hints of crushed rock and lees add complexity. The perfume is persistent and intriguing, always bringing you back for another sniff. On the palate, this is a fine Pinot Gris with grapefruit and lime with sherbert-like acidity. Textured and mouthfilling, the fruit is powerful, long and beautifully defined. These fruit flavours are complexed with barrel ferment characters such as nougat. The fruits are enveloped with fine grapefruit pith texture which lends the wine extra intrigue. - Al Timms, Shadowfax