2023 'Vaughan' Pinot Gris

The Story: For over two decades, we at Lethbridge Wines have been taking Pinot Gris winemaking seriously. Our approach involves indigenous yeast fermentation in barrels and aging in large format oak. This produces complex and layered wines that truly showcase the grapes’ full potential. This single vineyard Pinot Gris is sourced from Angela and Larry Vaughan’s old vineyard in Henty, where the cool climate and limestone soils give the wine minerality, crisp acidity and a unique ginger spice note. The oak treatment adds a rich and creamy texture that balances and enhances those ‘terroir’ characters. I believe that the resulting wine is a wonderful expression of Henty Pinot Gris, with a complexity and depth which are hallmarks of Lethbridge.

Tasting Note: From a cool Henty vineyard kept aside for its distinct ginger spice characters, this is the first vintage of this single site Pinot Gris. Wild fermented with a touch of skin contact in new French oak, aged in foudre. Orange blossom, pickled ginger, tea, saline edge from limestone soils. Linear and layered with tension and gentle phenolic texture.

"Fermented in both stainless steel and wood, with some components receiving up to eight hours' skin contact. The different components were then blended and matured in foudre. Fragrant and discreet with aromas of stone fruits, nashi and ginger spice. This has flavour and structure, not always easy with this variety. Seriously good pinot gris and one that will still be looking good five years from now."  Philip Rich, The Wine Companion, 96 points