Mark Ravenscroft has been making excellent Pinot Grigio’s for a number of years. I think the first one I tried was 2015. Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris whichever way up you like it, both made from the same grape but two different styles. From France comes the Pinot Gris style a slightly richer, riper, sweeter style. From Italy comes the spicier drier Pinot Grigio. 2019 is shaping as potentially a better vintage than 2018 for the Granite Belt and Halliday rated 2018 as 10/10 for reds and 9/10 for whites.
We had this wine at a small Covid Safe Mother’s Day gathering with roast organic chicken and the wine just wowed everyone. I think this is the best Pinot Grigio Mark has made to date and to be blunt without apology this is the best Pinot Grigio I have ever tasted. Gee this is good and what a credit this wine is to Mark and The Granite Belt.
The colour is the first thing that draws you in. It’s difficult to stop looking at the wine in the glass. I sat transfixed for moments trying to digest the colour, general opinion was peach with a slight blush and all agreed it replicated the colour of a high quality champagne. The bouquet offers spices, green apples, pears and peaches. The long sumptuous but in a way modest palate is both dry and luscious – a resolution of opposites. Fruit weight is excellent, white peaches, nashi pears, apples, some tang and zest, spices – both fennel and ginger and then a very long dry mineral finish with a crisp acidity. I drink more red wine than white and in the white realm usually reach for a riesling but this wine makes me question my habits, it is thoroughly captivating and just seduces you before you are aware. If ever there was a white wine you could lose yourself in this is it. Mark Ravenscroft has just hit Pinot Grigio out of the park.
Tasted: Saturday 9th May, 2020 without food and then with over several hours.
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $28
Suggested Drinking Window: now to 2023
Winemaker: Mark Ravenscroft
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Hi Peter
You would have noticed the colour is a bit Bronze for a Grigio style. This was due to the hot and drought conditions and the grapes were very Bronze(almost black) and lots of colour leeched out in the initial processing.
Cheers
Mark
Hi Mark
Yes the colour was a little richer, really enticing in the glass, that was just another plus for this great Grigio. Please keep’em coming, everyone loved this wine.