Scout Pinot Noir x Pinot Gris 2024 (6 Bottles) Waipara, New Zealand

The Scout Pinot x Pinot is a blend of Pinot Noir (97%) and Pinot Gris (3%) ―varieties that together create a delightfully bright, light, crunchy and smashable little red. This year, Scout’s ode to Beaujolais hails mainly from the steeply sloped terraces at the end of Felton Road in the Bannockburn sub-region.

It’s a west-facing site, catching the morning and early afternoon rays before enjoying a shady close to the day thanks to the Carrick Ranges. The Pinot from these 20-year-old vines is dark-fruited with lots of perfume and silky structure.

There is a small portion of Pinot from the cooler Packspur Vineyard in Lowburn, lending blue fruits and freshness to the mix. The fruit ferments in two lots, one as bunches and one destemmed.

The destemmed fruit brings a soft, plush nature to the crunchy, energetic whole-bunch portion. The ferments are gassed, sealed and left alone for two weeks before a quick foot stomp and pressing to old barrique and puncheon for maturation. Pinot Gris from the Lapis Lazuli vineyard high on the Bendigo Terrace was blended in after fermentation, adding floral lift and a lick of spice.