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Bascand 2010 Marlborough Pinot Gris

This particular wine was recommended to me by a friend, which is actually unusual simply because the friend in question is not particularly fond of Pinot Gris.

For those of you who don’t know, Bascand Estate was established in 1998 by the Bascand family, descendants of the Master Mariner, Charles Stephen Bascand, captain of TSS Waipara in the 1800’s. The estate owns vineyards in both Marlborough and Waipara grape growing regions. The wines are crafted by winemaker, Scott Berry, who has won numerous awards and medals. Bascand wines are also exported overseas and recently received accolades at a tasting event held at the New Zealand Embassy in China.

Fruit for the Pinot Gris is grown on Bascand’s Marlborough estate. The fruit was harvested in April and made its way down to the winery at Waipara, allowing for some skin contact to add texture and aroma. The grapes were pressed and cold settled before being racked clean to tank and barrel for fermentation. 70% was fermented in stainless steel tanks while the remainder was fermented in old oak barrels with 5% solids. The wine underwent some lees aging, with the barrel component being stirred every two weeks. The wine was then blended, traditionally fined using milk products, stabilised and filtered for bottling.

I can see why my friend recommended this wine as I found the pale gold Bascand 2010 Pinot Gris to have wonderfully fruity aromas of pear, quince and peach with hints of blossom. On the palate, this off-dry wine has a soft texture and complex flavours of pear, nectarine, peach and spice leading to a long, lingering finish. This Pinot Gris is a very good showcase of the flavours and aromatic qualities that a Pinot Gris has to offer.

I would particularly recommend enjoying the 2010 Bascand Pinot Gris with poached Salmon or pasta. It is an enjoyable and easy to drink wine that will be a pleasant accompaniment for a number of meals or on its own.

Reviewed by Stephen Clark (14/7/2011)

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