Technical Analysis
Greystone Pinot Noir is grown on limestone rich soils on north facing slopes.
Tasting note
On the nose, a harmonious blend of red berry fruits and subtle spice, complemented by hints of black tea & dried herbs. The palate offers poise and sophistication with bright acidity, lending a refreshing quality and ensuring the wine maintains its energy from start to finish. A long, lingering, velvety-smooth finish leaves a lasting impression.
Vintage conditions
Spring rain cooled the soil & gave the vines a slow start this season. Flowering wasn’t ideal, leading to small bunches and lots of leaf growth so needed extensive canopy work to ensure even ripening. Summer came through in the new year with a particularly dry & hot February, coming into harvest with pristine fruit with great concentration but very small volumes. All organically managed, and hand harvested.
Vinification details
Greystone approach is simple and traditional. After careful hand picking and sorting, each batch of Pinot Noir is allowed to soak on skins at ambient temperatures before going through wild fermentation. Gentle hand plunging of each vat occurs daily before pressing to French oak barriques after one month of maceration. Each barrel goes through a natural malo-lactic fermentation the following Summer, before blending and bottling 16 months after harvest.
AWARDS
DWWA: Silver
Vinous: 92 pts
Technical Analysis
Greystone Pinot Noir is grown on limestone rich soils on north facing slopes.
Tasting note
A Pinot Noir with generous richness and flavour concentration. Layers of ripe fruit, floral and spice with a gentle tannin line.
Vintage conditions
The first week of November and the month of December were very hot and dry – perfect conditions for flowering. The vines produced a solid crop with large bunches. Careful leaf plucking to open the canopy and significant bunch thinning was required to ensure quality targets were met. Rain in January and February gave the soils a top up and ensured canopies stayed healthy. Overall one off the warmest seasons of the last 10 years produced beautiful, healthy Pinot bunches with great flavour intensity.
Vinification details
Greystone approach is simple and traditional. After careful hand picking and sorting, each batch of Pinot Noir is allowed to soak on skins at ambient temperatures before going through wild fermentation. Gentle hand plunging of each vat occurs daily before pressing to French oak barriques after one month of maceration. Each barrel goes through a natural malo-lactic fermentation the following Summer, before blending and bottling 12 months after harvest.
Technical Analysis
Greystone Pinot Noir is grown on limestone rich soils on north facing slopes.
Tasting note
Dark crimson in colour with a delicate nose of both red and black wild berries, and Greystone's signature savoury flavours. The palate is full and structured with fine tannins and juicy acidity.
Vintage conditions
The 2017 growing season followed on from a 12 month drought in North Canterbury. The spring was warm, windy and frost free. Excellent conditions over flowering led to even fruit set and a good number of bunches. Just before vintage was ready to begin two tropical cyclones spun down from the north and created very wet, warm conditions for a period of weeks. Unlike 2014, once the cyclones passed the weather dried up and harvest was able to continue unimpeded by rain.
Vinification details
Grapes were hand picked based on ripeness and tannin maturity, then hand sorted at the winery to retain the finest bunches, followed by wild fermentation. A portion of the blend was fermented in the vineyard and blended in the winery. Gently pressed to French oak barrels and matured for 10 months. Bottled onsite without fining.
Technical Analysis
Greystone Pinot Noir is grown on limestone rich soils on north facing slopes.
Tasting note
Deep dark plum colour with a nose of red and black cherry, plum and blue florals. Vineyard elements of spice and blue flowers shine through beautifully into the textural palate of boysenberry and ripened plum. Long fine-grained tannins threaded with subtle French oak and savoury notes support the fruit throughout. Full bodied, elegant, juicy and perfectly balanced.
Vintage conditions
An early start to the growing season with mild spring conditions encouraged good growth and excellent flowering. A warm dry summer and autumn gave very even ripening and extended hang time on the vine, producing ripe tannins and unhurried picking decisions.
Vinification details
Hand sorted at the winery to retain the finest bunches, followed by traditional winemaking, wild fermentation and hand plunging. Low levels of whole bunch provide complexity and layers. Naturally fermented on skins for just under one month, providing tannin, flavour and colour to each small batch. Gently pressed to French oak barrels, 30% new, and aged without racking for 11 months. Bottled onsite without fining.
