Garagiste Merricks Pinot Gris 2024

In Barney Flanders's hands, Pinot Gris can be a wonderful thing. Time after time, you can expect a mouthwatering pure Gris with texture, structure and balance, and the 2024 is right in the zone. The fruit is sourced from 28-year-old, northeast-facing vines rooted in the signature grey loam and red ferrosols soils of Merricks. The majority of the fruit is pressed as bunches to old puncheons with full solids and kept on lees, while a small portion of the blend (10%) ferments carbonically for three weeks. The whole bunch thing works a treat, capturing stone fruit and floral perfume, whereas the maceration nails the spice, red fruit zip, blush colour and elegant, detailed structure. Expect a pure-fruited, perfumed, spicy and savoury Gris, deftly weighted with waves of flavour, nippy texture and drinkability that’s off the scale.