Wine information:
This wine is a blend of three Hawkes Bay vineyards. All three are situated near the coast in warm sites. The Kaybay and Kaye vineyards are in the Esk Valley at the northern end of the Bay. These vineyards are planted on sandy silt loam, deposited on the valley floor by the Esk River. These are free draining and early ripening sites. The Seascape Vineyard at Te Awanga in the east, is planted on silty soils over coastal pea metal. Once again this is a free draining site. All these vineyards are trained vertically on a VSP system and are extensively managed using shoot and bunch thinning. All fruit was handpicked. This is a full bodied and rich style of Pinot Gris. Barrel fermentation has provided the wine with richness but without oak characters and the early picked sites have provided fresh, natural acidity to the finished blend. Aromatics and flavours of stone fruits and pears dominate with a hint of spice providing complexity. Try with soft cheeses or pork dishes.