2024 Mt Difficulty Bannockburn Pinot Gris

2024 continued a string of excellent vintages in Central Otago. We experienced a very warm and dry growing season before a wicked wind kicked in from November to January. While soil moisture was reaching drought levels, we managed to keep the vines vital, producing small concentrated berries and powerful wines with lovely acidity. With no rain during February we started harvest early on March 14. Conditions cooled toward the end of March with ripening slowing and the vintage complete by Anzac Day.

The grapes for the wines that carry the Mt Difficulty Bannockburn
label are subject to two strict criteria: they are managed by our
viticultural team and must be sourced from Bannockburn vineyards
- the south side of the Kawarau River in the southern Cromwell basin. Each has a specific terroir, largely influenced by climate, and offers a variety of soil types from open gravels to heavier clays. Mt Difficulty Bannockburn Pinot Gris is blended from several of our Bannockburn vineyards: Templars Hill, Station Block, Ghost Town, Rina Rose, Pipe clay and Gate 22.

WINEMAKING CONSIDERATIONS
The fruit was hand harvested in top condition and was crushed and
pressed after minimal skin contact, once it arrived in the winery.
The juice was then racked to another tank for wild fermentation
which was carried out at warmer temperatures to enhance the rich
textural characters of Central Otago Pinot Gris. For the first time, we
fermented one batch in a concrete egg, which gave a lovely, textural
component to the wine. The wine was then left unsulphured on its leesfor 4 months and bottled in September.

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