2022 Holly's Garden Pinot Gris

WINEMAKER: Neil Prentice
REGION: Whitlands, VIC
VARIETY: Pinot Gris
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

"Our style has evolved since our first vintage in 1997. We started off with a Zind Humbrecht-inspired, super ripe, high alcohol and loads of residual sugar type wine. Today, our pinot gris style is more in line with modern Alsatian producers, like the wines from Domain Paul Blanc. I have always relied on using lees and barrel fermentation, to bring middle palate complexity to a variety which, doesn’t display a great deal of overt fruitiness. I’ve also used oxidative juice handling and solids fermentation, with the view to bring complexity to the palate." - Neil

In the cool-climate Whitlands high plateau region of Victoria, Holly's Garden is home to voluptuous pinot gris and artisan sparkling wines. Made by the one and only Neil Prentice, one of the great characters in the industry and a truly original thinker and maker. Grown at 750 metres in the deep volcanic soils of the Whitlands high plateau. A natural amphitheatre provides the warmest site in the very cool region. The continental location gives cool evenings, which allows the vines to ‘rest’ at night and delays the accumulation of sugar whilst retaining acidity and building flavour. This prolonged ‘hang time’ due to delayed ripening is vital to the production of great wine, and helps create the featured structure and length of Holly’s Garden wines.