2022 Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Orange

Slightly hazy orange hue. Lifted complex nose of spices and florals - almost campari like. An explosion of flavour hits your mouth with Christmas spices and orange rind, soft fine tannins coat the mouth leaving a savoury and moreish finish.

This year’s blend comprises 78% Pinot Gris, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Pinot Noir, 1% Gewürztraminer and just under 1% Muscat. The wine brings together three vineyards that are sustainably farmed, free of artificial chemicals or fertilisers: BioGro-certified Porters (Bellbird) vineyard on Mackenzies Road; Pyramid Valley Waikari Estate in North Canterbury; and a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc from Churton Vineyard in Marlborough.

The fruit was primarily vinified as whole bunches for 12 to 24 days in open-top fermenters, with a small amount of Blanc de Noir pressings added during fermentation. The wines were aged in clay amphora and old barrels for six months without adding sulphur. “We wanted to make an Orange that’s balanced between the tannins and fruit weight,” Kinch told us. “So finer, lighter tannins, something that matches our cooler climate.”