Vinification
The Pinot Gris grapes were hand picked and transported to Sedona, Arizona for vinification. The whole cluster grapes were foot tread and left on the skins over night with native yeasts before being pressed to a 100L stainless steel tank. The wine finished fermenting after 12 days and was racked to a stainless steel tank to age for 7 months, with no bâtonnage. The wine was racked once to a stainless steel tank one week before bottling. Unfined, unfiltered with 12 bottles being made without the addition of S02 and the other 24 bottles with only 20ppm of added SO2 at bottling. Expression
White peaches, crushed gravel, lemon zest & even a hint of cantaloupe define the aromatics of this wine. On the palate, the wine is juicy, fresh, slightly peachy but lacks balance due to its low acidity because of the wines abnormally high PH. The decision to not acidulate was made in order to make a wine as naturally as possible regardless of the high PH. Even with a lack of acidity, the wine is quite enjoyable and is truly expressive of the high desert Hassayampa terroir as it undergoes a spontaneous native yeast fermentation with minimal intervention during the winemaking process. Think chuggable, Arizona Pinot Gris that can be crushed easily with friends at anytime of the day.Vineyard
Hassayampa Vineyard & Farm was established in 2012 on 140 acres along the Hassayampa River near Kirkland, Arizona. The property consists of a farmstead cheese creamery, a 12 acre vineyard, a fruit and nut orchard, and several acres of pastures for their Jersey cow herd. They use sustainable grape growing practices that include Integrated Pest Management, OMRI (organic) approved pesticides, cover cropping, and minimal tillage.The Grapes
The Pinot Gris vines are grown in the high desert, 3,800 feet above sea level near the Hassayampa River. Alluvial deposits of volcanic and sedimentary minerals combined with extreme diurnal shifts of hot days and cool nights allow the grapes to preserve aromas and natural acidity. The Pinot Gris grapes in 2021 suffered frost damage during bud break which resulted in an abnormally high PH as the harvest occurred a month later than usual. Contact Gris 2021
VARIETY Pinot Gris
BRIX at Harvest 20
PH at Harvest 3.7
LOCATION Walnut Grove, Arizona
VINEYARD Hassayampa Vineyard and Farm
SOIL TYPE Alluvial deposits of volcanic and sedimentary minerals
PRODUCTION 36 bottles
ALCOHOL 11%