Craven Wines Pinot Gris Stellenbosch 2023 750ml

Pinot Gris isn’t exactly an abundant grape planted in Stellenbosch, but it is something Mick and Jeanine have a lot of fun working with. Although a lot of the wine drinking world think and assume it is a ‘white grape’ it is in fact a lovely coppery/dark rose skinned one. They identified this incredible site, called the Newlands Vineyard, farmed by Deon Joubert, on an easterly slope facing back toward Stellenbosch. Though the block was only planted in 2007, the wine shows tremendous balance and intensity. Mick calls this skinsy style “the way Pinot Gris should be!” This vintage gave Mick & Jeanine a run for their money, as this notorious wine was yet again rejected by the South African Wine & Spirit Board for not complying with the typicity of Stellenbosch. We have the appeals committee to thank once more for giving it the green light. But you’d think the first tasting panel would know better by now!

The grapes were hand harvested and brought back to the Stellenbosch winery. 2022 marks the introduction of concrete tanks for fermentation and aging, rather than stainless steel ferment in the prior vintage and aging in neutral oak. The grapes were destemmed, and the juice was left to soak on the skins for six days. It was then racked and the skins were pressed back to concrete where it aged for five months. The wine received a light sheet filtration, but no fining, and it was bottled with just 40 ppm sulfur.