Main Divide Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2021

Main Divide Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2021Off dry style Pear drop Subtle sweetness Perky acidity "Gorgeously ripe and enticing, the bouquet shows golden peach, poached pear, warm spice and ginger aromas, followed by a delightfully flavoursome palate offering excellent weight and persistency. It's richly styled with complexity, making it highly enjoyable" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2023 "Bright, even, pale yellow gold. The nose is full, with savoury aromas of smoke, minerals, honeysuckle,

• Off-dry style
• Pear drop
• Subtle sweetness
• Perky acidity

"Gorgeously ripe and enticing, the bouquet shows golden peach, poached pear, warm spice and ginger aromas, followed by a delightfully flavoursome palate offering excellent weight and persistency. It's richly styled with complexity, making it highly enjoyable" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2023

"Bright, even, pale yellow gold. The nose is full, with savoury aromas of smoke, minerals, honeysuckle, orchard fruit and spice. Full-bodied, off-dry to taste, pear, apple, honey and white blossom aromas intermixed with smoky minerals and five-spice. The wine has a complex range of flavours, and a slightly unctuous palate carries spice and texture to a dry finish. This off-dry Pinot Gris is textural and rich with a refreshing finish" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Oct 2023

"Appealing wine with restrained lusciousness and flavours that suggest tree-ripened pear, ginger, bush honey, pineapple, and peach, supported by fresh, tangy acidity" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Aug 2023

"A fragrant bouquet of pear and white spice, yellow apple and a touch of marmalade and button mushroom. Delicious on the palate with a just dry gentle sweetness touch, then as the wine opens out across the palate the acidity offers contrast and youthful texture. Fruit and non-fruit flavours repeat and a touch of white spice for complexity. Well made and ready to drink from day of purchase through end of summer 2026" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2023

"Aromas of pears and honeysuckle with some nutmeg. Full body. Dense and fruity with a core of fruit. Almost oily in texture. Fruity at the end" James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com, Mar 2023

Upon release its colour is pale gold. Enchanting aromas of perfume and spice surge from the glass, rose oil and lavender in the attack, followed by impressions of clove, pear drop, and flecks of pineapple. Layered beneath this is an earthy, mineral anchorage. The mouthfeel is vibrant and energised, subtle sweetness harmoniously interwoven with perky acidity and a touch of phenolic tartness, adding balance and length. A stylised and flavourful Pinot Gris, finishing with a satisfying, tangy close.

Main Divide is the local name for the Southern Alps and is the backbone of the South Island, where grapes for Main Divide are exclusively sourced. Vineyards have been selected for their quality and ability to express unique regional flavours.

Cold weather during bud burst resulted in lower crop levels, hence no further fruit thinning was carried out. The subsequent warm dry summer served up perfectly ripened small berries full of intense flavour and concentration. Favourable conditions continued into autumn, allowing the fruit to be picked at its optimum ripeness.

Aiming for a classic Alsatian style with a North Canterbury twist, the fruit was harvested in stages over several weeks to optimise the grapes’ range of natural flavours. After picking, they were gently pressed, and the juice fermented in stainless steel tanks at a cool temperature to retain varietal purity and freshness. The wine was then given a short period of ageing on its natural deposit of yeast lees (sur lie), prior to bottling. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, the wine was handled very carefully to help it retain a little of its naturally dissolved carbon dioxide. This may result in a small amount of spritzig when first poured, accentuating the freshness and liveliness of the wine.