Pinot Gris for the Exiled comes from the St Helena clone of Pinot gris grown on both Waiheke and Ponui Islands. Lightly crushed and pressed then settled in tank before being racked with light solids into tank for fermentation. A mixture of un-inoculated and cultured yeast ferments are used with each vineyard fermenting slowly until the desired balance of acid, tannin and sugar is reached. The wines are then chilled to below zero to stop the fermentation before blending, the blend is held at low temperatures in the cellar until bottling to retain as much of the natural carbon dioxide as possible.

Off-dry in style.

Established in 1864 by Jean Désiré Féraud, Monte Christo is the birthplace of Central Otago wine. Our wines are made with 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from our vineyards across three distinct sub-regions, the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa. Utilising sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention methods in the winery, the outcome is elegant, refined, and impeccably balanced wines epitomising the terroir of Central Otago.

Tasting note Dry, medium-bodied and luscious, with pronounced notes of fresh yellow apple and pear, white peach, melon and honeysuckle.

VINEYARDS

Vineyard: Davishon (69%)

Subregion: Alexandra Basin 

Elevation: 160m 

Clone(s): 6, Mystery clone 

Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt and gravels derived from schist and sandstone 

WINEMAKING

Brix: 22.3

Fermentation: 80% stainless steel and 20% neutral French oak

Aging: Four months in stainless steel Cases

This is a wonderfully exotic wine with aromas of flowers, pear and melon. The palate has nectarine and tropical fruit richness which is balanced with a smooth refreshing finish. Great on its own this Pinot Gris is incredibly versatile with a variety of food, our favourites being chilled furry peach and red curry mussels.

Vineyard
Fruit for this wine was selected from mature vineyards in the North Island that consistently produce outstanding Pinot Gris grapes. The 2021 vintage has delivered exceptional quality with low yields and a temperate dry growing season producing clean ripe fruit with great flavor intensity.

Winemaking
The focus in the winery is to capture the pure fruit flavours that come in from the vineyard. The grapes were harvested at optimum ripeness then gently pressed and the juice fermented at cool temperatures with selected yeasts to enhance aromatic potential. After ferment the wine rested on lees to enhance mouthfeel before blending and preparation for early bottling.

Pear, lime zest, almond and cream soda on the nose accentuated in a weighty, textural, aromatic Pinot Gris with fantastic cool climate freshness from a notably cool growing season.

This flavoursome white puts Pinot Gris' best foot forward and shows the high quality wine region of the Waitaki Valley in North Otago at its best.

From Jules Taylor...

Forget what you think you know about Pinot Gris and try this tasty little treat. Jules conjures up some winemaker witchcraft to coax every last ounce of personality out of this subtle little grape. Modern clones combine with traditional wild ferments, barrel aging and lees stirring to supercharge the aromas and textures of this wine. The end result is a flavour-packed mouthful of peach and citrus with an elegant spicy dry finish: a wine that will keep everyone happy.

Bold, dry deliciousness and peachy perfection with just a hint of hint of spice come together in the perfect party pour.

Stone fruits and green fruits such as pear and apple combine beautifully with some phenolic texture in this luscious wine.

VITICULTURE Selected from some of Hawke's Bay's finest vineyards, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Central to the success of New Zealand as a world-renowned wine growing region is the temperate maritime climate and the freedraining alluvial soils. Cool nights and warm days retain acidity which lends freshness and vibrancy to the wines, highly characteristic of New Zealand wine styles. 

WINEMAKING Pinot Gris was picked from the Mission homeblock and very gently pressed. The juice was inoculated with specially developed, aromatic yeast strains to intensify varietal character development. A portion was fermented in French oak barrel for 15 months for complexity. After blending the cuvée, the wine underwent a secondary fermentation before bottling. 

TASTING NOTES - Zesty with delicate pear and apple and fine mousse. Grown on our historic vineyard, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Aromas of delicate pear and apple with a zesty palate showing lemon, lime and nutty notes. 

CELLAR POTENTIAL Enjoy now or in the next one to two years. 

WINE ANALYSIS Alcohol 12.5% pH 3.25 Acidity 6.5 g/L Residual Sugar <9 g/L

From Skypunch vineyard, which lies on the slope next to Home vineyard on Black’s Ave.  We’re leasing and managing  Julianne and Conor’s vineyard here and we’re excited.  In conversion to organic with BioGro 5202.

Aromas of preserved lemon citrus, flint, almond, cardamon, and ginger. The palette is structured and vibrant with unique saline tension. Flavours of new season pear and apricot, white peach and vanilla bean. Un-fined, unfiltered.

The nose has rich and dense aromatics, that remind me of Magnolia and Michaelia flowers, perfumed but also creamy and filling. It is not easy to detect individually defined aromatics, the nose is more complex and interwoven with ripe fruits and dried fig, marzipan. There is an exuberance and youthfulness that keeps the wine fresh and springy.

On the palate, this wine is all about texture, weight, length and generosity. It is a full-bodied wine that rolls over the palate with lots of creamy, spicey texture on the mid-palate. The wine delivers a highly refined impact experience that lingers for a long time.

You might be surprised with the character and firm presence of this wine. It delivers class with plenty of impact.

This wine is dry, bright and fresh. It has been barrel fermented and aged to give the slight honey and silky mouth feel.

If you love gris this wine is for you. Perfect for matching with food and will make any wine lovers mouth salivate.

Light and golden in colour. Fresh aromas of pear, toasted pine nuts, and lifted Turkish delight awaken your senses. Textured, structural, dry, fresh stone fruit roasted almond flavours mingle with fresh thyme and wild fennel. This multi-layered Pinot Gris is opulent yet clean, bright and juicy. The wine’s poised, beautiful texture leads to a well-balanced, persistent finish.

Whitehaven’s single vineyard range of wines speak to the importance of terroir in creating unique, premium quality wines, and allow us to showcase outstanding, smaller parcels of fruit identified by our winemakers each vintage. Reflecting the exclusive nature of these wines, each bottle is individually numbered.

We have used a lightweight bottle to lessen this wine’s impact on the environment.

Colour / Appearance: Bright, elegant rose-gold in colour from 24 hours juice skin contact.

Aroma / Bouquet: Freshly cut stonefruit such as nectarine and apricot, and overlapping notes of rose petal, white florals and baking spice on the nose.

Palate: Juicy core of ripe nectarine, pear and baking spices, with a gentle twist of orange zest. Dry to taste, this wine is full in body and finishing with fine, peppery tannins.

Cellaring:  We recommend drinking our 2024 Skin Contact Pinot Gris while it is young and fresh, but the wine can develop nicely beyond five years if carefully cellared.

Food Match: This Pinot Gris is made to be enjoyed with food.  We recommend dishes featuring richer seafoods, mushrooms, light game and poultry.

Serve: Lightly chilled.