Region Marlborough, New Zealand

BABICH MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2009

 Winemaker Adam Hazeldine

Aroma This wine has a pleasant bouquet of honey, glazed pear and lemon blossoms.

Palate Sweet syrupy pears join with honeysuckle in a weighty, yet elegant tango on the palate. Leesy complexity adds to this soft yet well structured wine. A touch of spice reminiscent of home made ginger beer and lingering sweet fruit form an intriguing and satisfying finish.

Food Match Works well with snapper fillets, rolled in fresh breadcrumbs and shallow fried, or with hot baked ham and glazed kumara.

Cellaring: 0-4 years

 Winemaking:

Parcels of grapes were harvested when physiologically ripe from several of our vineyards in Marlborough. The vineyards with heavier soils add weight to the wine, where the lighter soils bring varietal aromatics. In the winery 85% of juice was fermented in tank at various temperatures and with various yeast to capture varietal character and build interest. The balance 15% was fermented in old French oak and lees stirred to increase the body and complexity of the wine.

Reviews:

"Alsace-style, partly barrel-fermented, with mouthfilling body and strong stone-fruit, pear and spice flavours. A medium-dry style, it is deliciously harmonious, with a rich, well-rounded finish."

4 STARS

-Winestate Magazine, Michael Cooper, Sep/Oct 2010

-Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines 2011

"Good potential here with lifted peardrop aromas and flavours allied to clean acidity and good fruit weight."

-TizWine.com, Aromatics Tasting, June, 2010

"Estery nose showing some tropical notes. Follows on palate too with fruit-salad and lychee. Light, crisp and rather short."

-WineNZ, Spring 2010