Man O' War Exiled Pinot Gris 2019

Accolades

Bob Campbell MW: 93/100 & Top Rank. Powerful wine from grapes grown on two islands with ripe pear, honey, root ginger, musk and grapefruit marmalade flavours. A strong sweet-and-sour influence creates energy and tension giving the wine a dynamic dimension. Drink 2020 - 2025.

Cameron Douglas Master Sommelier: 92/100. (Excellent) There's no mistaking the aromas and intensity of fresh green pear, honeysuckle and wild flowers, a salty sea air moment and leesy baked goods bouquet. On the palate - flavours of white fleshed tree fruits and Asian pear, poached apple with a hint of lager and spices of ginger, white pepper and salt. Off-dry to medium style with contrasting acidity, pure varietal flavours and equally intense as the nose suggests, focused and concentrated, warming alcohol and weighty textured finish. Well made and ready to enjoy from today and through 2024+

Tasting note

The 2019 Exiled has a residual sugar of 27 grams per litre and despite a moderate acidity the very low pH gives the wine incredible focus and delineation. The flavour and aroma profile are that of fresh stone fruit, citrus and ginger spice which is further enhanced by both fruit tannins and natural.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: White wine from New Zealand

Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris

Food match: enjoy with Asian and Indian food.

Alcohol: 13% vol

Wine style:  off-dry

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Vineyards: Ponui Island: Paradise vineyard. Waiheke Island: Beast, Gorse Laneway, Lone Kauri.

Winemaking: 2019 was an exceptional vintage, bountiful crop, settled weather and practically no rain! 

The 2019 Exiled Pinot gris is a true reflection of an almost perfect year in that the fruit was ripe and flavoursome but for the first time in our history there was zero incidence of botrytis, the famed fungus that creates the noble sweet wines of the world and generally makes up a large proportion of the Exiled style. 

Pinot gris for the Exiled comes from the St Helena clone of Pinot gris and is grown on both Waiheke and Ponui Islands. The fruit is lightly crushed and pressed then settled in tank before being racked with light solids into tank for fermentation. A mixture of un inoculated and cultured yeast ferments are used with each vineyard fermenting slowly until the desired balance of acid, tannin and sugar is reached. The wines are then chilled to below zero to stop the fermentation before blending, the blend is held at low temperatures in the cellar until bottling to retain as much of the natural carbon dioxide as possible.

Cellaring potential: 2024+

Produced and bottled by: Man O' War Vineyards, PO Box 1287, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140, New Zealand