Pinot Blanc
This white grape variety is a close relative of Pinot Noir though rare by comparison in New Zealand. Pinot Blanc is versatile and responds well to different winemaking approaches. Tank fermented it can be aromatic, fruit-driven and fresh while barrel fermentation nudges it in the direction of Chardonnay.
We have chosen the latter approach for the Hope Pinot Blanc. Fermented and aged for an extended period in seasoned, larger format French oak, the style shows gentle spiciness, creamy texture and complexity of flavour.
Today we harvest some or all of this fruit at slightly lower sugar levels than we once did in an effort to retain freshness and moderate alcohol levels. As a result is a style which shows a little less breadth and power but more elegance, nuance and delineation.
2022 Hope Vineyard Pinot Blanc
“Certified organic, the classy 2016 vintage was estate-grown, hand-harvested and fermented and aged for 18 months in seasoned French oak puncheons. Highly refined, it is bright, light yellow/green, with a fresh, fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it has rich, vibrant stone-fruit flavours, gently seasoned with oak, moderate acidity and a dry, very harmonious finish.” 5 Stars, Michael Cooper – Wine Buyer’s Guide 2020
“Greenhough is just a handful of wineries working with the variety and makes an attractive example that’s rich and creamy textured with notes of apple, white fruits, spice and nut and finishes with a fresh zing of citrus.” Jo Burzynska, Viva
We manage it as we do its cousin, Pinot Noir, removing third bunches and shoulders to reduce yields and promote evenly ripened fruit. Low yields are essential to concentration and palate weight. Hand harvest allows exclusion of damaged or unhealthy bunches and wider options for handling in the winery. Fruit is whole bunch pressed and the juice briefly settled to remove the heaviest solids before racking to seasoned 500 litre French oak puncheons for wild fermentation. The wine is matured on yeast lees for an extend period (16-18 months) with occasional stirring during this period.
As the wine opens, aromas are strikingly perfumed with an exotic quality. Ripe fresh pears, baked apple, guava, and star anise. There’s also a mealy richness from extended time on yeast lees. The palate begins with fleshy stone fruits, appealingly soft and sweet-edged and enhancing a rounded mouthfeel. This progresses to more subdued fruit characters integrated with subtle nutty, spicy layers and flinty minerals related to extended time in barrel. There is an expansive vibrancy towards the end with liquorice/aniseed spice and gentle phenolic interest which draws the palate out. This is a powerful wine with an intriguing interplay between the soft opulence of ripe fruits and a pervasive mineral clarity and mantle of velvety phenolics.
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