Heppington Pinot Gris 2019 English White Wine

We are tremendously excited about the Heppington Pinot Gris as it is the first wine from this new vineyard and it is sensational! The wine is pale and star bright with a fresh nose of apple and pear leading to a crisp, balanced palate. The fruits are citrus and pear with a hint of tropical mango and pineapple, the acidity is keen, the wine vibrant. It is a great aperitif but a super partner for seafood, try with calamari, white bait or delicate white fish such as plaice or dover sole. Balance is one of the key quality elements of a wine. It is the relationship between the structural components of a wine; sweetness, acidity, alcohol, tannins and fruit concentration. These need to be in harmony. Too much acid and a wine will appear tart, too little and it will be ‘flabby’ and lose its structure and freshness. A high acidity can be balanced after the fermentation by either using the malolactic conversion or adding a little sweetness. For this Pinot Gris a trial was made of zero grams, 2 grams, 4 grams and 6 grams of sugar per litre. The trial was conducted blind by the winemakers and the owners. The trial came to the conclusion that two samples worked, the 0 gram and the 4 gram, but the overall quality was the same. In the end the 4 gram dosage was chosen. It brought a little weight to the middle, balanced the wine for those who require a less acidic feel and will also bring about a flavour evolution in the next few months.