Paddy Borthwick Pinot Gris

Food, farming and wine – with over a century of experience in it the Borthwick family know a thing or two about it.

Paddy’s great-great grandfather Sir Thomas Borthwick, a butcher by trade, was a pioneer in the English meat trade. Paddy’s grandfather, PJ Borthwick, immigrated to NZ in 1936 and purchased the Te Whanga Station in the Wairarapa, some 100kms north of Wellington. To this day Te Whanga remains one of the country’s most famous cattle and sheep stations with 700 Angus stud cattle and 10,000 sheep grazing the 1600 hectares.

In 1985 Paddy decided it was time to diversify the Borthwick family business and get into the wine game! Leaving the Te Whanga Station in the capable hands of his family, Paddy headed off to Australia to earn his viticulturist and wine maker badges. In 1996 Paddy and his father established the 27 hectare Borthwick Vineyard and Winery nestled on an old stony river terrace.

Scoring 4 1/2 Stars with Michael Cooper in the NZ Listener, Michael said “Estate-grown at Gladstone in the northern Wairarapa, this is an attractively scented, full-bodied wine. Vibrantly fruity, it is fleshy, with dryish peach, pear and spice flavours showing excellent delicacy and depth, balanced acidity and a very harmonious finish. Best drinking 2027+.”

A bit of oak influence gives the wine plenty of rich, slightly spicy stone fruit flavours with a crisp, dry finish. A class act!