Lethbridge Pinot Gris 2023

Description

Maree Collis and Ray Nadeson are not your average winemaker/owners of a boutique winery. Both were initially trained as research scientists and hold PhD degrees in chemistry and medicine, respectively. Mid career they made the decision to pursue their alternate passion and together with friend Adrian Thomas established Lethbridge Wines in 1996. Both Maree and Ray completed their winemaking degree at Charles Sturt University after which Ray concluded “winemaking is not really that different to science, both are creative and both involve 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration”.

Not surprisingly, the site at Lethbridge was selected based on scientific principles such as soil type, degree days and other climatic indicators, yet after purchasing the property in Lethbridge they discovered an ancient old wooden fermentation vat in one of the old sheds. Further investigation revealed that site had originally been planted by Swiss vignerons in the 1870’s before the scourge of phylloxera decimated the Geelong wine region. This story is compelling in the connection between traditional wisdom and modern science.

The focus of Lethbridge Wines is to produce wines that are textural, savoury and reveal characters true to variety and terroir.  The wines of Lethbridge are generally single varietal wines or mirror a traditional European blend.  The winemaking team, led by Ray Nadeson, are committed to excellence.  The fruit, if not estate grown, is from selected special sites tended by passionate people.  The barrels are directly imported, with Ray even visiting the forests with the Coopers to select the trees to be felled and the wines are benchmarked with the best in the world.  Each vintage something new is learned.

While best known for the varieties of the Geelong region, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Shiraz, Lethbridge also produce a wide range which includes Riesling, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Merlot, Sangiovese and more, with the most recent exciting addition to the vineyard and cellar being Gamay.

This wine is the sum of three vineyard vineyards, two in Henty and the other in Geelong. Ray Nadeson is a big fan of the Henty region, valuing the cool nature of the fruit from his high-elevation, windy sites. “As a region, it’s very underappreciated,” he tells us. Jack and Lois Doeven’s well-established cool site in Drumborg (Henty) is home to schist soils and very low-yielding vines, whereas the Vaughn vineyard sits on clay and limestone soils. The Hillside Haven vineyard is a small, three-hectare site planted in 1990 in Geelong. Sitting at 230 metres on the slopes of Mount Anakie, the soils are granitic and loamy, and plantings are a hectare each of Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

In the quest for maximum flavour and texture, Ray picks his Pinot Gris fruit over a number of passes. Ferments take place in small batches in new wood, with some portions seeing up to 48 hours of skin contact. The wine then matures in foudre on fine lees for a few months before bottling. This is Pinot Gris as it should be: complex and detailed with a fleshy core, zippy and well-integrated acidity and plenty of savoury nuance at play. There’s a lot of wine in the glass!

From the winemaker about this wine: “Region and climate are as important as winemaking style. Our Pinot Gris is all from cool climate vineyards yielding less than 2 tonnes per acre. Our low yield and natural yeast ferments ensure our style is intensely aromatic, flavoursome, rich, spicy and textural. Discover for yourself! Made in a complex Alsatian style, small batches are wild fermented in new French oak. Some portions have a touch of skin contact. Aged on fine lees in foudre before being bottled young and fresh. This wine is intensely aromatic showing notes of red apple skin, earthy citrus and spice. Tension and texture on the palate give it fantastic length.”

93 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion “Planted on limestone in the mid-1990s. Fermented in stainless and wood with some components receiving up to eight hours’ skin contact. Matured in foudre. Enticing with aromas of fully ripened yellow apples together with ginger and spice. Textured and slippery with just enough grip at the finish to give the wine tension and length.”