2023 Kōparepare Marlborough Pinot Gris
$21.00
TASTING NOTE
Kōparepare (gift or contribution in Te Reo Māori) is a passion project from Whitehaven Wines. For every bottle sold, we donate to LegaSea, a non-profit organisation dedicated to restoring marine abundance in NZ.
Colour / Appearance: Pale lemon colour.
Aroma / Bouquet: Notes of red apple and pear, with a hint of lemon, spice, and floral notes.
Palate: Fresh pear, red apple, and lemon flavours, with a crisp, dry finish.
Food Match: Pair with sustainably sourced seafood.
Cellaring: We recommend enjoying our 2023 Kōparepare Pinot Gris while it is young and fresh, however the wine can develop nicely beyond 3 years if carefully cellared.
Serve: Lightly chilled.
WINE ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 1.81g/L
Acidity: 5.25g/L
pH: 3.33
VITICULTURE
Climate: The 2023 growing season started with soil moisture at capacity following a wet winter. Flowering conditions in November and December were uneven across Marlborough with some sub-regions achieving a good set and crop load and others below average. Vigilance around disease pressure was paramount, with regular rain events, unusual humidity, and warm nights through much of December and January. Day temperatures were not warm, delaying the vine’s physiological advancement. Marlborough breathed a sigh of relief as cyclone Gabrielle minimally impacted the region in February. The season turned a corner in early March with a return to cool nights and sunnier conditions allowing us to delay harvest for as long as possible, resulting in fruit that reached good sugar levels with attractive flavours, while disease levels remained at low manageable levels. Peak time for intake was the two weeks starting from March 27th and fruit condition remained very good throughout harvest.
Grape Growing: The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Awatere (94%) and Wairau Valley of Marlborough. The vines were pruned to between two and three canes on a vertical shoot positioned trellis. Shoot thinning, leaf plucking, and trimming were used to achieve balanced vines.
WINEMAKING
Harvest Dates: Multiple harvest days from March 31st – April 11th 2023.
Winemaking: Much of this fruit was machine harvested and pressed immediately with minimal skin contact, with the remainder hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed. After cold settling, the clear juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 14-15°C, using carefully selected yeast strains. After fermentation, the wine remained on lees for 3-4 months. The wine was then filtered and finally bottled on the 11th of October 2023.
ACCOLADES
- "It's brightly fruited and elegantly lifted on the nose, showing white flesh stone fruit, green pear, floral and subtle spice aromas, followed by a finely flowing palate that's juicy and rounded. Beautifully composed and expressed, making it instantly appealing." 5 stars - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
- "A good, all-purpose wine, the 2023 vintage (4*), made by Whitehaven, is sold to help fund the fisheries restoration work of LegaSea. Light lemon/green, it is medium-to-full-bodied, with lively, ripe, citrusy, gently spicy flavours, showing very good delicacy and depth, hints of pears and peaches, balanced acidity, and a smooth, dry (1.8 grams/litre of residual sugar), lingering finish." 4 stars - Michael Cooper
- "Bright, even, pale yellow. This has a crisp,soft bouquet filled with Nashi pear, apple and blossom. Medium-bodied, Nashi pear and apple aromas melded with a hint of grapefruit and its zest, closing with blossom and subtle hints of ginger. The wine is smooth-flowing with crisp acidity and a lightly oily mouthfeel, lending a dry, flavoursome finish." 90 points (4 stars) - Candice Chow
- "Apricot and peach aromas, with licks of ginger. The palate is soft and generous, revealing ripe stone fruit flavours with a touch of spicy warmth on the textural finish. Soft yet juicy acidity ensures freshness, while the touch of pithy texture adds complexity." 87/100 points (4 stars) - The Wine Writer
