2024 Amoise 'Amphora Gris' Orange Pinot Gris
Under her Amoise label, Hawkes Bay-based Amy Farnsworth has steadily built one of the most recognisable ranges in the 'new wave' of New Zealand natural wine.
Working with organic fruit and farming with biodynamic principles (often hand-tending her own rows), Amy's intention with Amoise is to make "delicious, digestible" wines without any additions - unfined, unfiltered, and no use of sulphur.
Gris was the first wine she ever released under Amoise (in 2018); and six vintages and many accolades later, it's become one of New Zealand's best and most delicious orange wines. This latest release is no exception either!
Hawke's Bay's 2024 vintage was strong, allowing the grapes to sit on skins for three and a half weeks, undisturbed, with barely a plunge. Pressed to hand-thrown Tinajas (traditional clay vessels, also known as amphorae; made by the León family in Spain since 1783) the wine has emerged characteristically delicious and a great, approachable example of skin-contact wine. Pair this with all sorts - from sashimi to fried chicken - or don’t - it works equally well as an aperitif.
Tasting Notes
Textural. Warm spice and ginger gives way to fresh pear, preserved citrus and marmalade, with a quinine, saline lift on the finish.
Deep orange-amber in the glass, it’s equally fresh and complex.
Winemaker's Notes
"Made to be approachable to all and a pleasure to pair with so many different food types, from fish to charcuterie as well as spicy Asian inspired dishes.
Besides being magical and fragile vessels all the same, I love the purity of fruit and intact expression that one can achieve by fermenting & ageing the wine in amphorae. No additions at any stage, including sulphur. The wine is unfiltered and unfined."
Region: Mangatahi Terraces, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Soils: Alluvial gravels, red metal, silt loam
Variety: Pinot Gris
Harvested: March 5, 2024
Vinification:
100% destemmed
3.5 weeks on skins, minimal extraction
No additions, no sulphur, unfined & unfiltered
Alcohol: 13%
