2025 Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Gris

Back in 2013, Franco D'Anna admitted he was "fed up" with making conventional, water-clear Pinot Gris. He found it boring to make and boring to drink. So, he decided to make Gris with some actual personality.

This is a world away from your standard crisp-and-dry Italian style. It is made with intent. The fruit is hand-picked and foot-stomped in bins to get the juice in contact with the skins immediately. A portion is even treated like a red wine - destemmed and left on skins for seven days to build tannin and structure.

The finished wine comes with a distinct blush of pink (do not be alarmed, that is where the flavour is!) and a palate that has genuine grip and texture. It is fermented in old white barriques, adding savoury layers to the fruit.

If you want a Pinot Gris that actually tastes like something - savoury, textural, and complex - this one of Australia's benchmarks.

95 points
"You'd be hard pushed to find a better gris than this at the price." 
Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

93 points
"Delicious. It’s a distinctly textural wine but attractively cool and fine boned. An elevated expression from the variety in a restrained way."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)