Oxford Landing Pinot Grigio 2021
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An intense mixture of apple and spiced pear with hints of lychee. The spiced pear and lychee flavors find their way into the medium-bodied palate.
Other Vintages
2018-
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling
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James
Suckling
It takes an amazing amount of vision to look at a patch of sunburnt red soil and imagine a vineyard bursting with fruit. That's exactly what the late Wyndham Hill-Smith did when he founded Oxford Landing in 1958.
Few things in life have the power to capture a sense of place and community like wine. As places go, Oxford Landing is something special. Set on the banks of South Australia’s majestic Murray River which winds its way through the rugged rural landscape rippling with life and promise, the Oxford Landing vineyard and winery were aptly named after the precious patch of land they call home. A sense of community is the heart of the South Australian region, and the river is the lifeblood that keeps it flowing.
By nurturing the wine every step along the journey from bunch to bottle, Oxford Landing crafts quality, consistent, and authentic wines. Taking a 'small scale' approach with methods usually reserved for boutique winemaking, the winemakers use wild fermentation with yeasts native to the vineyard and blending with barrel-aged wines. Minimal handling of the juice also means the fruit is processed gently, yet quickly. Thinking small does make a lot more work, but the Oxford Landing team takes pride in working hard to craft great wine.
Oxford Landing is also committed to the protection of the environment, and all their wines are 100% vegan with zero animal products used in their production for more than 12 years. The Oxford Landing team also works to reduce their carbon footprint by absorbing more carbon than the winery generates. Through their revegetation program they have planted over 200,000 native trees and shrubs to benefit local wildlife.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
South Australia is the historic heart of Australian wine, a great wine capital of the world, and home to some of the most famous regions. It produces more than 80% of Australia’s premium wine from some of the oldest vines in the world. There is an abundance of varieties and wide spectrum of styles to explore. From the rogue to refined, discover Australian wines that are far from ordinary.