Gorgeous ripe fruit with a supporting acidity from early picking, this is a really attractive and food-friendly Pinot Gris that shows the potential of the style as well as the skill of the wine makers and the quality of the region.
Peach and apricot notes with ripe pear, balanced by crisp apple freshness, this is excellent with a very wide array of food from Asian-fusion to plain pork roast, cheeses to salads.
This wine is made from grapes grown by Moskos and Porter families, with whom the Burge's have done business for many generations. In order to gain the mouth-coating richness that the best Pinot Gris possess, just under 30% of this wine was matured for two months in used French barrels, providing the wine with greater texture, breadth and structure.
The Burge family have lived in the Corryton Park Homestead since their parents bought it in the 1990s, at which stage they registered the name as a company - just in case they had to use it - which is very handy: the Grant Burge winery and name and use of the name was sold to Accolade wines in 2015 and of course means that they're never, ever allowed to use the name in association with wine. However, because they registered this one earlier, they're out of the loop.
Plus, they sold the name: they held onto the winery itself in Illaparra, the Cellar-door (which is a term for a winery's own shop) in Tanunda, and possibly most importantly, the 300 hectares of vineyard across south Australia. These feed numerous other family projects, but it's the Corryton project that has the potential to best emulate the previous successes of the family history.
The lovely label depicts a Gryffin (or gryphon), of which two stone carvings sit on the gates of the estate. Legend has it that these fantastical beasts guarded gems and precious metals: the analogy for the winery, homestead and vineyard isn't lost on the family!
Region: Adelaide Hills
Country: Australia
Grape(s): Pinot Gris
Style: Svelte, Structured, Soft, Smooth, Round, Refined, Medium Bodied, Juicy, Gentle, Fruity, Fleshy, Engaging, Elegant, Dry, Complex, Bright, Balanced
Best food matches: Wild Boar, Warm Salads, Tuna, Trout, Tapas, Sushi, St Stephen's Day, Squid, Spicy, Soft Cheeses, Shellfish, Seafood, Scallops, Salads, Roasts, Ribs, Poultry, Pork, Oysters, Mature Cheeses, Lobster, Lamb, Hard Cheeses, Grills, Grilled Vegetables, Game, Fine Dining, Duck, Christmas Dinner, Chinese, Cheeses, Charcuterie, Cajun, Beef, Baked Fish, Asparagus, Aperitif
Alcohol: 12.5%