Not enough of us are talking Pinot Blanc. It makes creamy white wines, but it also makes crisp, delicious spring drinking wines and a few things in between. This was an interesting test, heading to a post lockdown dinner where in the past, Savvy B, Riesling and Pinot Noir have been consumed with gay abandon. This was going to be interesting (and I had a 2015 Chardy for back up).
This is a King Valley pinot blanc, with added savagnin and pinot gris and has all the hallmarks of a great wine. It's another in the 'orange' family so has some funkiness about it, thanks to 91 days on skins and no buggerising around with it. Then there are some lovely changes as the funk settles and we get notes of pink lady apples, spiced pears and a little turkish delight with that sugar dust all over it. It's a tad hazy and is somewhere between salmon and dusty pink in colour, reminiscent of a 1980's bridesmaid dress.
The palate is lovely. Simple but generous acidity, nicely textured and a pretty kind of talc and tropical fruit hint about it. I wasn't surprised by the happy reaction from the savvy b drinker, and I think if this was mildly carbonated it would be almost a cider. It has a crunchy acidity and lingering finish with more appley pear & tropical fruit notes and an interesting mineral like suggestion at the end.
Pat Murtagh is making cracking, hand made minimal intervention wines with wild yeasts and nothing added and minimal fining. I've already grabbed a sixer of the Gewurtz and another of the Gruner Veltliner because if they are half as good as this little bay, and showing excellent value for money, I know they'll be a steal.
RRP $24 at the groovy wine shops or get it direct
VIC | 2021 | King Valley | 12.5% ABV