Vineyard Notes
Produced from grapes grown at Pipers Brook and at Strathlynn on the west bank of the Tamar River, 70km away. Northeast sites, close to Bass Strait, are subject to strong maritime influences. Hillside slopes in the Tamar Valley offer vines some protection from prevailing westerly winds, promoting warm, settled and relatively dry growing condition. Sites around Pipers Brook feature Ferrosol (volcanic) soils, while those in the Tamar Valley are Vertosol (black cracking clay) soils. Both soil types have excellent water holding capacity, offering a steady supply of moisture and nourishment to the vines throughout the growing season.
Vines are grown on Vertical Shoot Positioned (VSP) trellises, which help to fully expose bunches to the sun, thus achieving optimum ripeness with well-balanced flavours and fine, natural acidity. The rich, ripe flavours of fruit from the West Tamar is balanced by the naturally high, flavoursome malic acidity that is typical of Pipers Brook. This gives structure to a tight, refreshing and complex Pinot Gris. With the foresight to planting Pinot Gris in Tasmania in 1991 we are now rewarded with stunning concentration and depth of flavours from the 25 year old vines. Fruit is hand-picked, with selective harvests taking place from mid-March to early April.