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Butterworth

Dutchman Wim Julicher was a bricklayer when he moved to New Zealand in 1972, until he bought a piece of land on Te Muna Road, Martinborough. After planting an olive grove that was wiped out by a hard frost in the early 1990s, Julicher switched his focus to vines in 1998, selling fruit to Ata Rangi before deciding to make wine. After been diagnosed with Parkinson's, Julicher sold the estate to cousins Brad Butterworth, a wealthy businessman and four-time winner of the America's Cup, and Warren Butterworth, an Auckland lawyer. The vineyards are situated on Te Muna Road, which is the most exposed, frost-prone, windy part of Martinborough, ripening later than those planted in town. Special attention needs to be paid to the acid balance in the whites, which is rather eyewatering in current vintages. Pinot Noir remains Martinborough's signature variety. (Reviews of the reds will be published soon.) Winemaker Martin Bell, who joined in 2018, plans on less new oak and lower toast in their broody Pinots going forward. The Layline is their “entry-level” range.

From Desperately Seeking Sauvignon (Mar 2022) by Rebecca Gibb MW

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2020 Pinot Gris Layline

Release Price: $26

Color: White

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