2023 Caledon Estate Pinot Gris $40

01/25/2025

Caledon Estate lies a stone's throw from the historic township of Richmond and enjoys dramatic views of the surrounding Coal River Valley from its very stylish new cellar door on Prossers Road. James and Karen Stewart were intent on hitting the ground running with their wine tourism offerings, and that includes a neat and carefully crafted wine portfolio showcasing their premium quality fruit and skilful contract winemaking from Matt Wood at Spring Vale Vineyards on the East Coast.

This Pinot Gris is a case in point. Almost two years old, the wine displays a nice mix of fresh varietal fruit and gently textured secondary characters derived from six months on lees in used French oak. It's not merely essence of ripe pear. Indeed, what pear there is suggests both poached pear and Nashi pear. There's also subtle honeydew melon and white nectarine. The sum total is a delicious, quite moreish dry white that slipped down well on its own and also works very well alongside a range of diverse food styles. It weighs in at 13.5% alcohol, but delivers it with a huge amount of elegance and finesse - which perhaps explains the choice of a Riesling rather than Burgundy bottle. Think northern Alsace rather than northern Italy.

It will be fascinating to see how this new family operation fares over the next couple of years. The Stewarts have taken great pains to ensure they've made the most of their site purchase. Caledon means 'rocky hill' in Gaelic. The estate's current portfolio is similarly rock solid.

Source: Cellar door purchase