Stargazer Tupelo 2024 Pinot Gris/Riesling/ Gewurztraminer/Pinot Blanc

This unusual blend mirrors the famous Alsatian 'Gentil"styles marrying the body of Pinot Gris, the exuberance of Pinot Blanc with the spicy aromatics of Gewurztraminer and the finesse of Riesling. Pale yellow in colour with green flecks, the nose is perfumed and lifted showing honeysuckle and jasmine notes with dried pear spiciness and a hint of honeyed beeswax. There is a glossy texture to the palate, with the richness framed by subtle phenolics providing both persistence and length.

The components of this blend were harvested from 6 March 2024 starting with the Pinot Gris, finishing with the Riesling from Palisander on 15 April 2024.
The fruit was all destemmed and left in contact with skins for about eight hours prior to gentle pressing, and then fermented (by indigenous yeasts) in older white oak puncheons. A portion of the Riesling (10% of the overall blend) was fermented m a ceramic egg.
The Gewurztraminer component had two days on skins prior to pressing.
Left on lees in oak for close to two months post-ferment without sulphur.
Final blend: 42% Pinot Gris, 30% Riesling, 21% Gewurztraminer, 7% Pinot Blanc.
Bottied 16 August 2024: 13% alc., 3.30 pH, 5.1g/L. titratable acidity, 3.7g/L residual sugar

Located in the Tea Tree subregion at the northern end of the Coal River Valley, the original 1ha vineyard on Back Tea Tree Road was planted by Norm and Jan Gangell in 2004. Pretty much half and half riesling and pinot noir, the property (eleven hectares in total) is also home to an olive grove. I took over in 2016 and in late 2017 expanded the vineyard to include an additional two hectares of vines: more pinot noir (four clones), some chardonnay (another four clones) and more riesling. Stage two of the expansion was planted in October 2021: more pinot noir (two clones), gamay, pinot blanc, riesling, pinot gris and gewurztraminer.

Palisander Vineyard (as I have named it) is located on brown dermosol soil over jurassic dolerite, the igneous rock which gives over half of Tasmania its distinctive geological formations (think the rocky outcrops on the Tasman Peninsula). The soil is particularly high in calcium which is a positive indicator for quality grapes, being associated with thicker skins and slower ripening. Whilst I am still very new to this whole grape grower caper, myself and my new vineyard manager Guy Young are fervent believers in sustainable farming, biodiversity and regenerative agriculture. As part of this approach, we use sheep in the vineyard during winter for weed control, chickens free range throughout the year and scratch around for bugs, bees contribute their pollination magic (and honey) and since 2020 we have planted over 1000 native species on the property.