Back in the 2018 vintage I bought my first pinot grigio grapes with the intention of making a style traditional to the Friuli region. Coming from the word rame meaning copper, Ramato is pinot grigio that receives some skin contact, resulting in anything from a blush to a light red. I made a white wine instead, but in 2021 the fruit was ideal for it, as not only was it in fantastic condition but the clone of pinot grigio at Box Grove Vineyard has particularly dark skin.
The second Grey Matter pinot grigio was harvested on the first day of vintage in February and received about eight hours on skins before it was pressed to stainless steel tank. After cold settling the fermentation started in earnest, mostly in tank but two mature barriques were used as well. Once dry the wine was consolidated, cold stabilised and then racked several times before bottling, where it had a minimal filtration.
Though I attempt to limit how much I do in the winery there is a lot of thought that goes into them. Decisions like which varieties to choose for which styles, what region and vineyard to source from, when to harvest and how to capture their best, all take time and consideration. Thus, I liked calling this wine Grey Matter, as not only did such an uncomplicated wine take brain activity, but the colour of the wine reminds of brains.
