🌟 Australia top 20 winery + best selling brand top 17
🌟 Medal winner winery
🏅 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2022: SILVER
🏅 Royal Hobart Wine Show 2022: SILVER
🏅 Riverina Wine Shoe 2022: BRONZE
Bob and Cherie set about planting the first Berton Vineyard cuttings that spring - ten acres of Shiraz and seven acres of Chardonnay - without any permanent water - it wasn't until the following year, in 1998 when the dam filled that the vines got a decent drink!! It was due to these conditions and the seemingly hydrophobic podsolic soils that the vines struggled to become established. After a few years where the vines still looked like rootlings, a Swedish friend jokingly called it the bonsai vineyard - and the name stuck and later became the name of our premium Shiraz. High Eden has a high annual rainfall so the vines are looking good these days... but we still remember the early days every time we crack open a bottle of Bonsai! After the dam was established and water plentiful we went on to plant Cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
In 2005 the decision was made to purchase a winery to process the 100 odd tonnes that was produced at the High Eden Vineyard. In 2005 when the former Southcorp winery in Yenda became available, Bob and Cherie joined with Jamie Bennett, Paul Bartholomaeus and James Ceccato to form Berton Vineyards the company. The winery was purchased and the guys moved to their new home in November 2005. For the next few months they were kept busy buying up fruit and arranging contact crushing for the 2006 vintage. In January 2006 the first grapes rolled across the weighbridge, and so began the scariest vintage we have all experienced! With very few staff we managed to crush and process 13,000 tonnes. Thankfully life at the winery has become easier since then!
Winemaking
Our 2024 Metal Pinot Grigio heralds from the inland grape growing areas of the Riverina and Murray Darling. After meticulous attention in the vineyard, fruit flavours were at an optimum and physiological ripeness was achieved, the parcels were harvested in the cool of the night during the months of January and February and delivered to the winery for processing. Fermentation was undertaken in stainless steel vats, using several yeast strains selected to elevate aromatics and promote mouthfeel. Upon completion, the parcels spent a short time on sur lie before blending, clarification, stabilisation and bottling.
Tasting note
A lifted aromatic display of poached pear, apple and lime that lead to lychee, pineapple and grapefruit flavours that cleanse the palate with bright, juicy acidity.
Style
Deliciously aromatic, light bodied, crisp and dry.
Food Match
Delightful as an aperitif, that also pairs wonderfully with antipasti or fritto misto.
Cellaring
This wine has been lovingly made to enjoy now but will benefit from careful short term cellaring.
