Stefano Lubiana 2012 Pinot Gris
Region: Granton TAS | $28
Firstly, a few words of explanation about pinot gris and pinot grigio, and apologies to those who already know the story well. The two terms refer to exactly the same grape variety and translate from the French and Italian respectively as ‘grey pinot’. Not that we’re really talking ‘grey’ in winemaking terms, any more than we’re talking ‘black’ when we refer to pinot noir or ‘white’ when we refer to pinot blanc. What we’re really saying is that pinot gris/grigio is a member of the pinot family with some coloration in its skin.
Generally speaking, Australian winemakers use the term pinot grigio if their wine is of the lighter, fresher, simpler Italian style, and the term pinot gris if it is of the fuller, more complex Alsatian or French style.
That issue of nomenclature presented Stefano Lubiana, who had previously used the term pinot grigio, with a conundrum after the 2012 vintage, because the warm vintage in southern Tasmania presented him with the opportunity to build a more substantial wine than in other earlier years.
More than 60 per cent of the wine was fermented and matured in French oak, adding real depth and complexity to the flavour, and medium-bodied richness to the texture.
Hence Lubiana’s adoption of the ‘gris’ tag for the first time.
I can only applaud the result. This is an absolutely delightful dry white with seductive, still quite subtle aromatics and a pleasing palate weight that will match quite rich white-meat dishes. Good one.
— JOHN ROZENTALS*
*John Rozentals is a Charles Sturt University Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) graduate.
Samples for tasting and review should be addressed to John Rozentals, PO Box 3484, Rhodes 2138.
