Gris is the New Black.
Perhaps it’s the novelty of vin gris, the fact that Whisson Lake has been devotedly making it under the radar for over a decade, or the deliberate nature of it that makes this wine style such an appealing proposition, and a brilliant concept that’s so easy to wrap our mind and our lips around. So, we decided to explore it further and found more reasons to enjoy interesting wines that beg to differ for all the right reasons. We took it upon ourselves to taste a few local vin gris that are getting noticed or deserve to be seen, and here’s what we found.
What is vin gris?
‘Vin gris’ and ‘blush’ are interchangeable terms when referring to a rosé wine made from black grapes with white winemaking practices, but at the very pale end of the Languedoc-Roussillon colour spectrum. It translates to “grey wine”, although this definition is not literal in the sense of the colour of the wine being grey and certainly doesn’t imply dreary flavours. On the contrary, the essence of those wines is nothing less than vivacious and inspiring. Indeed, the best way to ascertain vin gris is figuratively and with an open mind, as for contemporary art creations.
How is vin gris made and what does it taste like?
Vin gris varieties of predilection are often darker skinned but very delicate, like Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Grenache, two of which we’ve sourced and tasted for the purpose of making up our own mind about the style.
The grapes are hand harvested (usually earlier than for red wine) and kept whole. Instead of fermenting the grapes with their skin, which would have for effect to extract colour (and produce red wine), the wine is made from the freshly extracted juice, which will typically be clear, albeit with a slight pink tinge. It’s worth noting that the term ‘vin gris’ is not regulated, although most winemakers use it in the spirit of the traditional method.
From here, there is no trickery involved and most vin gris are fermented in stainless steel to preserve their ultra-delicate qualities. Oak is optional. Because vin gris isn’t regimented, a label mentioning “vin gris” or any reference to “gris” is likely to be open to interpretation as to what it might smell and taste like. Essentially, if you’ve had Blanc de noirs Champagne, you’ve had vin gris.
What it seems to lack aromatically, it makes up for with fresh, fuzzy red fruit characters on the palate, hence avoiding the candied character that some rosé wines often convey. What makes it so appealing is its delicate body, subtle fruit, and light texture. It’s a compelling segue into dry rosé for those who can’t warm up to the fruity, spicy Provence and Rhône counterparts.
Where is vin gris made?
Vin gris is a burgeoning category in Australia, which is surprising considering it allows absolute freedom and therefore would suit the most liberal winemakers.
It is a speciality of the Lorraine region, where it is Gamay dominant and must contain at least 10% Pinot Noir under the Côtes de Toul appellation. It is also among the wines of the regional Val de Loire IGP, known as Gris de Tourraine-Mesland, again a Gamay-based rosé. Vin Gris is also popular in Morocco, where it is typically made from Cinsault, Grenache Noir (Garnacha Tinta) and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Looking for vin gris around Europe, you’ll encounter Kretzer (South Tyrol), Weißherbst (Germany), Gleichgepresster (Austria), Süßdruck (Switzerland) and an even lighter version, Gris de gris, which must be made exclusively from lighter-tinted grapes like Gamay, Grenache, and Cinsault.
Depending on where you find yourself, the technical rules around each vin gris will be more or less rigorous, with some putting extra emphasis on differentiating a vin gris from a rosé and others clumping the two together.
When should I drink vin gris?
Because vin gris’ mild fruitiness is combined with a nice freshness, it is a quaffable wine that is sure to please many different wine tastes all at once. Whether you’re hosting a casual barbecue or an elaborate themed wine dinner, everyone will find something to relate to in vin gris, especially if it’s served well chilled. If you want to spice up your next blind wine tasting night, serving it in a black glass will certainly stun a few.
2020 Whisson Lake Gris De Noir - RRP $70
The Whisson Lake Gris de Noir is a unique take on Pinot Noir - made from the clear juice of Pinot Noir grown on steep, shaded hillsides and picked early from six rows selected from the South-facing, cooler Gris Block. Andrie and Mark only produce it in the cooler years. The first version of the Gris de Noir was created in 2009, when then fellow winemaker Tom Munro suggested making a sparkling blanc de noir. Although the original idea never took off, something even better eventuated – a white wine made like Champagne, but without bubbles. Salt and pepper quail with green papaya salad would make a magnificent pairing.
Winemaking
The delicateness of Pinot Noir required that the fruit be hand-picked in the cool (6-8 degrees) early morning hours, then whole bunch pressed into 2 puncheons (500 litre) for a wild fermentation. The wine was finally aged in barrel for 20 months with minimal sulphur and no filtration, nor fining.
Tasting notes
Those who are well acquainted with the Gris de Noir will notice a stark change in hue, from an iridescent copper to a clear pale yellow. Building on the trials of previous vintages (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2017), Andrie and Mark opted for earlier picking and minimal lees stirring, resulting a lush yet much more focused expression of the fruit, resulting in what they believe to be their best Gris de Noir to date. It has a nose so delicately composed with lychee, nectarine, white peach, pear, and zesty citrus notes echoing on the palate. The waxiness is replaced by a light yoghurt creaminess and searing acidity we’ve come to expect from this site.
2021 CRFT WHITE PINOT NOIR - RRP $45
This is CRFT’s first stint at making vin gris and certainly not the last. The Pinot Noir grapes were grown specifically for this occasion. The Arranmore Vineyard has been farmed organically since Frewin and Candice took ownership in 2016 and has been NASAA (National Association for Sustainable Agriculture) Certified Organic since 2019. The vines were planted between 1995 and 1998 in the heart of Carey Gully at 545 meters above sea level. This now sold-out wine is produced in minute quantities. Enjoy it with duck spring rolls and sweet chilli and ginger sauce.
Winemaking
The 100% NASAA Certified organic fruit was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. It was wild fermented on full solids and kept on lees in barrel. The wine was further matured for 7 months in older neutral French oak, including occasional lees stirring. It went through full malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes
The pale copper hue, ever so slightly, hints to the red grapes used to make this wine. The nose is delicately perfumed with rose water, jasmine tea and rockmelon, while the palate is fleshier with apricot, quince, and a bitter almond and marzipan character marking the finish. It is quite textural and complex, which suggests great cellaring potential.
2021 PAULMARA PROJECT XW - RRP $40
The fruit was sourced from a secret single vineyard in Seaview, McLaren Vale. Although this Greek variety remains elusive in Australia, its great adaptability to our warm and dry territory foresees a bright future. It’s also the first of its kind in the country. The established vines were grafted in 2016 and produced their first crop in 2019, which was used to produce red and rosé until 2021. With the debut of the Project XW, Jason Barrette is taking experimentation to new heights. It will be interesting to see how this wine develops in the bottle over the next 5 years. This is a great food wine well suited to Kleftiko-style lamb shanks and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice.
Winemaking
The fruit was handpicked early specifically for this wine. Interestingly, the same vines produce two other wine styles, rosé and red. The fruit was destemmed and gently crushed. The free-run juice was immediately separated from the skins and transferred to a single stainless-steel fermenter. Frequent bâtonnage helped build texture and mouthfeel. The wine completed natural malolactic fermentation after 4 months. No SO2 was added until bottling. The wine was minimally filtered and bottled unfined.
Tasting Notes
It has a brilliant pale-yellow colour that is counterintuitive considering it’s made of such an intensely coloured variety. It’s extremely perfumed, with finger lime, dried oregano, citrus blossom, and doughy notes of ginger biscuit, lemon meringue tart and hints of pepper and sweet vanilla spice. The light tannin grip is balanced by a racy citrus line and a salty crunch on the finish.
2021 GEYER WINE CO NOIR BLANC - RRP $37
We’re fully embracing the unexpected with this flavourful white with a bright floral character and exceptional texture from barrel-ageing on full solids. Barossa Valley Grenache takes an unusual form here. This wine celebrates the creativity of Dave Gower, who’s challenging some of Barossa Valley’s oldest traditions by instilling life into neglected vines across the region while toying with unconventional varieties to produce wines that can be enjoyed universally. The spice and creaminess of coconut curry salmon will sing with this wine.
Winemaking
David grows some of the fruit himself and buys the rest from other like-minded growers. The fruit is hand harvested early in the day and immediately whole bunch pressed to avoid colouration. The juice is wild fermented in stainless steel before racking to a single puncheon, where the wine is aged for 9 months. The wine is racked and bottled with no further additions.
Tasting Notes
The cloudy pale gold tint is as heart-warming as the smell of sun ripe apricots, cantaloupe, and peach Bellini filling the glass. The palate is luscious and hyper textural with the most delightful honey, rockmelon and peach characters bursting out. It has incredible depth and complexity, making for a delicious, long-lasting finish.