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grava Riesling is cold macerated on skins for a short time, then gently pressed, and fermented in stainless steel tanks with a small barrel component. The resulting wine has enticing aromas, great texture, and a strong acid backbone, which will ensure graceful ageing over the coming years.
The 2020 grava Riesling is distinguished by its citrus fruit character and a crisp mineral finish.
About Grava Wines
Winemaker, Alistair Gardner, along with his wife and her family, founded Grava Wines in 2014, but the vineyard was established in 2003. The vines grow on the terraces of the Ruamahanga River, the main waterway crossing the Wairarapa Plain, producing high quality Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Grava means ‘gravel’ in Spanish, relating to the gravelly alluvial soil their grapes are grown on, but also Alistair’s strong Spanish connection. Alistair has worked in France but spent more of his time (15 years) in various wine regions in Spain (where he still visits every year for vintage), including Galicia, Segovia, Toro and Malaga. This has given Alistair broad experience with different climates, grape varieties, wine types and winemaking traditions.
The whole family gets behind the label, with Alistair’s wife, Karla Falloon, handling the operations, and Pepe, their black lab-huntaway cross, lending a hand in the vineyard. Their values are simple, to make high quality wine that reflects the site and can be enjoyed with food, friends and family – something I’m sure we can all get behind!
First Vintage: 2015
Scale: 5.3 Hectares
Range: Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Rosé
Cellar Door: Yes, one of the first cellar doors as you arrive in Martinborough
Restaurant/food: Platters available
Did you know… The Grava logo is a sculpture made from gravel collected from the vineyard.
