Wayward Child ~ Spirit of adventure & the journey of discovery.

The Pinot Gris is grown on our coolest, least elevated block. As it can be such a prolific variety, yields are carefully managed to ensure flavour ripeness is achieved with balanced acid.

In 2018, the grapes were gently machine harvested and placed directly in tank. The skins and juice were fermented together using the naturally occurring yeast. This full skin contact gave the wine colour, texture and phenolic grip with the low fermentation temperatures preserving the aroma and flavours of the Gris variety.

Once alcoholic fermentation was complete, the tanks were topped and kept in contact with the skins for 6 weeks – no sulphur dioxide was added. After skin contact, the wine was drained off skins to old oak hogsheads. The barrels were unsulphured and completed malolactic fermentation spontaneously. The wines were aged for 11 months before bottling as nature intended – unfined and unfiltered.

Skins fermented with substantial post fermentation maceration makes for a wine that deviates from anything resembling normal (what is normal anyway?). You can see from the colour that it is well outside a standard white wine, and indeed see why this style of wine has become known as orange wine.

Previous releases have been quirky enough but 2018 Wayward Child Pinot Gris seriously “ups the ante” on over the top funk.

The wine is cloudy with a rose gold colour. Orange zest & potpourri dominate on the nose and palate. This wine is all about the grip and texture and is the perfect wine to accompany food, especially rich, fatty foods. The wine is initially quite shy in the glass so give it some time to open up.

This Wayward Child is doing a science experiment whilst cranking some 70’s funk. Delicious, unusual, and made in small quantities.