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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Unsworth Vineyards Pinot Gris Saison Vineyardstext
90POINTS
16½/20

Unsworth Vineyards Pinot Gris Saison Vineyards 2019

Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, CanadaThe Unsworth Saison Vineyard Pinot Gris is a window into Vancouver Island’s future as a premium producer of white wines. Primarily fermented in stainless steel, a small amount (10%) goes into neutral French oak to reduce the stark, mineral tones. Extended lees contact helps to build texture, as does a full malolactic fermentation, but this wine is mostly electric. A stony mineral, quince, and pear affair, it has all the hallmarks of a serious ageable gris. There’s a bit of dryness in the back end but that should resolve itself with time in the bottle. I love the bright green apple and pear opening, drizzled with citrus and sprinkled with dried herbs, mostly fennel. The finish is all mineral. The soils are volcanic in origin, layered with marine sediments and gravel carved and deposited by glaciers. Today, clay-loam soils lay on top of this gravelly base that sits between the 48th and 50th parallel with obvious ocean influence. As wet as the winters can be, the summers are drier and drier, although temperatures rarely rise above 30 degrees Celsius. Paradise.Tasted: 31 May 2020Tasted by: Prices:
BC$26.00750mlwinery online/direct
Producer: Unsworth Vineyards ULCDistributors: Storied Wines & Spirits
Summit Fine Wines
Grape: Pinot Gris/Pinot GrigioCSPC: 30432UPC: 626990320340