Awards, Ratings & Reviews
93/100 — Mike Bennie · Halliday Wine Companion
(2025 Vintage, Tasted: Dec 2025)
“Juicy and bright. A little chalky pucker on hand. Good aromatics that show off frangipani, preserved lemon, Japanese pickled ginger and brown pear. The textural experience elevates things too; it feels like the grapes were firmly pressed, eking out chew and chomp through the palate. Enough flavour to deliver strong DNA of the variety, too. Perhaps just a touch diffuse overall, but pleasing generally.”
About This Wine
This wine is named as a tribute to the Innes family, dedicated growers of the Innes Vineyard Pinot Gris for over 25 years.
The Adelaide Hills has an altitude ranging from 400–600m and rainfall of around 700–1000mm. The soils of sandy loam overlying weathered shale and clay provide excellent conditions for viticulture. Littlehampton lies on the eastern side of the Adelaide Hills, just 5km from Mount Barker, and has a unique aspect for superlative pinot gris.
The winter of 2024 brought good rainfall, followed by a warm, frost-free spring that provided ideal growing conditions and prompted an early budburst across most varieties. Fruit set was excellent. A mild summer encouraged steady ripening despite it being the driest growing season since 2006, with less than 190mm of rain recorded from September to April. The pinot gris was picked in early March, showing excellent aromatics, depth of flavour, balance and length.
Fermented in stainless steel and held on lees in tank for 6 months with regular stirring to build complexity.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Pale gold with green hues.
Aroma: Fragrant aromas of orange blossom and honeysuckle are layered with white peach, nashi pear, lychee and brioche.
Palate: A creamy and textural palate of pear and white nectarine, with hints of ginger spice and nougat, is balanced by crisp acidity, delivering a long and intense finish.
Specifications
- Vintage: 2025
- Grape Variety: Pinot Gris
- Country: Australia
- Region: Adelaide Hills
- Alcohol: 13.5%
- pH: 3.06
- Acidity: 5.74 g/L
- Maturation: Fermented in stainless steel and held on lees in tank for 6 months with regular stirring
- Closure: Screwcap
- Wine Style: White (Crisp Fresh)
- Size: 750ml
