"Bright in the glass with ripe pears and a dash of citrus, the palate is vibrant and viscous with understated fruit flavours that give the wine a sense of freshness and purity. Long and well structured with a long, lean finish" Cuisine Magazine, Mar 2025

The 2024 Nautilus Pinot Gris is a pale straw color wine, with  vibrant aromas of ripe pears, ginger, honeysuckle, and delicate hints of spice. The medium-bodied palate displays concentrated fruit flavors, lemon shortcake, bright acidity, and a deliciously creamy texture with a dry finish. Delicious upon release, this wine will improve for 3-5 years postvintage.

The 2024 growing season saw a return of El Nino which brought back the nor-wester and a warm, dry summer.  This was a welcome change from the previous 2 seasons which were dominated by La Nina and wetter conditions. Some cool weather over spring resulted in moderate crops which generally sat just below our targets which again was a relief after the 2 previous larger seasons.  The lower crops and dry weather meant the season advanced during late  summer and we began the harvest in late February.  Despite being early we felt we were harvesting in true autumn conditions as the cool nights also arrived early and allowed for a relatively orderly harvest. Flavours this year are typically generous with good ripeness achieved over all varieties.  All fruit was immaculately clean and in fact, the cleanest fruit we have seen in years.

The fruit was machine-picked using a destemming harvester before being pressed and fermented with an aromatic yeast strain in  stainless steel tanks - the sole aim being to reflect and preserve the f lavours and aromas grown in the vineyard. A small portion was fermented in old oak barrels to provide a textural element. After fermentation, the wine was kept in contact with the lees for four months. This classic technique enhances creaminess and integrates the flavours.

Food Pairing: Soft shell crab in tempura batter with a lime-chilli dip.