2025 Deviation Road Pinot Gris, Adelaide Hills

Perfect — here’s a fuller version that situates the Pinot Gris inside the broader Deviation Road story.

Deviation Road Pinot Gris is a prime example of why the Adelaide Hills has become one of Australia’s benchmark regions for cool-climate whites. Winemakers Kate and Hamish Laurie are best known for their méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines, with Kate drawing on her training in Champagne to create some of the country’s most elegant fizz. That sparkling pedigree shows in all their wines, including this Pinot Gris, where precision and texture take centre stage.

The estate’s high-altitude vineyards, planted into rocky soils and cooled by crisp mountain breezes, provide the foundation for a slow ripening season. This allows fruit to develop aromatic complexity while retaining vibrancy. The Gris is treated with the same meticulous care as their sparkling base wines: whole bunch pressing to preserve delicacy, extended time on lees for creamy texture, and subtle large-format oak to build layers without overshadowing freshness. The result is a wine that is both generous and taut, showing flavours of pear, quince, stone fruit and a whisper of ginger spice, underpinned by a mineral edge.

What makes this wine stand out is how clearly it reflects the Laurie's philosophy of balance. It is not a simple, light “grigio” style, but neither is it heavy-handed. Instead, it sits in that sweet spot between richness and elegance, crafted for both immediate enjoyment and short-term cellaring. Over three to six years, it develops honeyed and nutty notes, adding depth to its orchard fruit core.

Food matches are wide-ranging, thanks to its layered structure. Think grilled calamari, sashimi, roast pork with apple, duck with spiced plum, truffle pasta or mild Thai curries. The interplay of freshness and spice makes it one of those wines that elevate a meal rather than compete with it.

This Pinot Gris is also a reminder that Deviation Road is not just about sparkling, but about the pursuit of cool-climate finesse in all its forms. Whether in fizz or still wine, the common thread is clarity, texture and a sense of place.