2023 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Grigio, Adelaide Hills

Heirloom Vineyards was conceived in vintage 2000, when a young winemaking student caught the eye of a silly old wine judge. A love story ensued inspired by two vows: To preserve the best of tradition, the old world of wine and our unique old vineyards and to champion the best clones of each variety planted in the most appropriate sites embracing the principals of organic and biodynamic farming.

Seven long vintages of trial and error passed before Heirloom Vineyards could make a wine that was fine enough to pass on to future generations. That is this wine. This Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Grigio was produced from our best Adelaide Hills Vineyard whose clones and viticulture embody the very best in cutting edge but old school viticulture and winemaking.

Pear skin and fresh pear flesh, freshly cut; there’s also an underlying aromatic current of dried fruits, fresh flowers and perfume. This is warmly exotic white wine with a very immediate and arresting quality that surprises rather than startles. The pear fruit and now musky flavours strike out before a mid-palate explosion of baths salts and minerality. Green apple and strong citrus zest flavours and textures quickly take over before a laser-like acidity guides the wine to a long, lengthy finish. There are oodles of citrus and pear and green apple fruit flavours here, but in a savoury, grown-up guise. 

Pure and stylish pinot grigio can be a rara avis, but when you come across one, such as this wine, give it the full northern Italian treatment. Pears and melons and cheese and prosciutto and perhaps a risotto bianco with some artichoke? Or summon all your powers to make antipasti to end all antipasti. This white wine will refresh and delight