Growing Conditions
Vintage 2020 will be remembered for excellent quality wines from the Adelaide Hills, except for fire affected areas. Some reduction of yield was caused by misty rain and very cold conditions at flowering. Bunch size was normal, although with fewer berries having set it resulted in more open clusters and highly variable crop levels. Significant heatwaves from mid-December to the end of January reduced shoot growth and berry size, however higher than average rainfall at the end of January reduced the stress just before veraison, followed by a cool ripening period in February. The Adelaide Hills bushfire ignited near Cudlee Creek on a ‘Catastrophic Fire Day’ on 20 December 2019 and burned a swath of country including wine growing areas of Lenswood, Lobethal and Mount Torrens, destroying around 30% of Adelaide Hills vineyards. The Henschke Lenswood Vineyard was totally decimated. No Henschke Lenswood wines were made from the 2020 vintage due to the bushfires. The 2020 pinot gris from Davin Innes’ vineyard at Littlehampton was picked in late February and is finely structured, balanced and elegant.
Nose
Floral and spicy aromas of honeysuckle, thyme and glacé ginger with lifted notes of zesty gooseberry, Nashi pear and nectarine.
Palate
A generous and textural palate of vibrant and pure citrus, with fleshy stone fruit and pear, balanced by mineral acidity and excellent length for a succulent, crisp finish.
Appearance
Pale straw with green hues.
Food Pairing
Hiramasa Kingfsh Crudo, avalado, puffed wild rice, miso, green apple, native sea parsley
Aging
Fermented in tank and held on lees in tank for 6 months with regular stirring to build complexity.