The cold drinks cabinets at my local liquor shops display an impressive array of Pinot Gris wines, a variety that has grown in popularity over the last decade. This variety is fragile and to capture the fragrance of the flavour, elevated and or cooler vineyards are best plus gentle pressing of the bunches of grapes in the winery.

Chill the juice for slow fermentation and maintain the wine under a head of gas to keep oxygen out has been the solution to protecting the delicate though delicious qualities of this variety.

The examples that were imported from northern Italy for decades, termed Pinot Grigio, showed the promise but were terribly hit and miss and were often propped up with excessive sweetness. Still, they did show what was possible and we are delighted to offer our first examples from the high Eden Valley though please note we do take a serious approach to this variety which means a tad more flavour and length to that found in the supermarkets.