2025 Moores Hill Pinot Gris $35

Vignerons James Oliver and Constance Olivier took on ownership of the 25-year-old Moores Hill Estate in July 2022 after working for several years in Victoria's Yarra Valley.  The couple wanted to get out of the rat race and build a new home together in the Tamar Valley, north of Launceston, where vine development matches the pace of life in the country - slow and steady.

Working with relatively old vines provided ideal opportunities to hit the ground running, especially with the property's celebrated Riesling and Pinot Noir wines. That noted, the husband and wife team have worked hard to build soil nutrition and vine health while making deliberate changes to pruning and canopy management in order to reduce yields and increase subsequent wine quality.

 This release of Pinot Gris shows the benefits of those strategies. Despite its youth - and recent journey along the bottling line - this is very attractive iteration of the popular variety. Give it a few more months and it should open up nicely and provide very satisfying drinking across the summer.

Weighing in close to 13.5% alcohol and with a delightfully sleek and limber structure, the wine gives the impression its heading towards Pinot Grigio in style but that is simply academic. This is a fresh, vibrant and elegant young wine that can only advance the variety's reputation in the valley. Pinot Gris can be generous with its cropping, often resulting in wines devoid of any genuine interest and varietal character. 

There are some lovely floral/blossomy nuances to be enjoyed here, along with hints of ginger spice and butternut snaps.  The finish is well sustained with the kind of fresh natural acidity that drew these two ambitious winemakers to the valley in the first place.

Source: Cellar door tasting