Domaine Rewa, The French Potter Pinot Gris 2023

"The 2023 The French Potter Series Pinot Gris has a distinct pottery flavor—like cold clay, concrete powder, brick dust and brine. Smoked almonds are the dominant character for my palate. The fruit is subdued, secondary to the pear-accented fruit, and this makes for engaging, layered, thoughtful drinking. The wine is waxy and chewy, even. The fruit, which was sourced from Pisa, in Central Otago (near-ish to Bannockburn), was handpicked and spent six months on the skins in an amphora as whole berries before being drained—without being pressed—and then blended. Both primary and secondary fermentation started and finished with indigenous yeasts, and the lees were stirred weekly for five months. This is a wine of kaleidoscopic interest and detail—exactly as I remember from tasting it last time. It's a fine example of a skin-contact Pinot Gris. If I made all the rules in the world, one of them would be that Pinot Gris must have a portion of skin contact. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork and wax." – Wine Advocate

"Complex aromas of orange zest, cantaloupe, tea leaves, terra-cotta and pomelo. The palate is textural with a medium-bodied mouthfeel and a phenolic grip that brings depth and structure to the wine. " – James Suckling