Product Description
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Rouleur, Whitlands High Plateau, Pinot Gris et al (skin contact), 2025, Yarra Valley, Australia
Producer Profile
Matt East grew up in the Yarra Valley and worked alongside his father in the family vineyard from a young age. He dedicated 10 years to grape growing with a focus on Pinot Noir and made wine in the shed growing up. He further honed his skills in local wineries during vintage and eventually left the Yarra Valley to study, travel and pursue a career in the broader wine industry.
As a keen cyclist all his life, Matt’s love affair with the bike matches his passion for making wine from exceptional sites across the Yarra Valley and elevated, alpine climbs of the Whitlands High Plateau. Rouleur (noun – Roller) was inspired by vineyards Matt discovered while riding – chance meetings with growers and local people that helped turn dreams into reality.
All Rouleur fruit is handpicked and sorted. White grapes are largely pressed as whole bunches, to new and old larger format oak. Variety dependent, Matt opts for subtle use of skin contact during fermentation, particularly with his Pinot Gris, a standout wine in the range. The Rouleur reds are mostly fermented with whole berries intact, while whole bunches are used in varying degrees when site, vintage and style dictate accordingly.
Viticulture
With a copper, orange tinge, this delicious 3 way blend, consists mostly of Pinot Gris (95%), Chardonnay (3%) and Gewurztraminer (2%).
95% Pinot Gris from the Whitlands High Plateau. There’s 3% Chardonnay from the same vineyard, but only 2% Gewurztraminer from a block situated at the base of the mountain just outside of Whitfield township. In cooler years Matt tends to seek a little more Gewurztraminer (up to 8%) to help with aromatics,
mouthfeel and general ‘flow’ of the wine. But this was such a great vintage for this Alpine vineyard that just a tiny amount added value. And Pinot Gris was certainly the star variety in the blend, hence wanting it to shine above all else.
Winemaking
Similarly made to prior vintages, 50% of the Gris was destemmed and fermented on skins for 11 days, whilst the remaining 40% as whole bunch pressed, full solids direct to neutral barrel and fermented (wild) until dry. The harder squeezed fruit was run to tank, cold settled for a day or so before racking to barrel for fermentation.
Some barrels were racked off lees in the winter months and returned to clean barrels. Whilst other more pure barrels remained on gross lees up until the time we started prepping for bottling. The V25 Pinot Gris et al was bottled in early September 2025 after a light screen filter to brighten and maintain
a more vibrant version of this orange style wine.
With skin contact comes interest – a flicker of phenolics and a lot more fun!
Tasting Note
On the nose our Gris et al leads with fresh peeled mandarin and orange peel, watermelon and musk florals. The palate glides with soft fruit and light phenolics propping the palate evenly. There’s plenty of orchard fruits – across the spectrum (pear, red apple etc), some skin contact derived
musk all leading to a long tangy finish.
“Constantly evolving and changing things up to improve the end result… Our Pinot Gris et al is certainly a wine that many customers have grown to love. So whilst we won’t change ‘too much’ we’ll still tinker around the edges making minor adjustments suit the vintage and make our wine even better.” — Matt East, Winemaker
Goes well with
Cellaring
Designed for fresh, early consumption, however, due to the skin contact you can drink over the next 2 to 3 years.
Don’t take our word for it
“A blend of 90/7/3 Pinot Gris/Chardonnay/Gewurztraminer with halt the wine fermented on skins for 11 days. A light, bright copper peach. Subtle aromas of freshly sliced white pear, blood orange and spice lead onto the flavour-packed, saline and well-structured palate. Finishes with a refreshing touch of grip. Another thoughtfully crafted blend from Rouleur. Drink now and over the two or so years.” – 93 POINTS – Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion, 24th March 2026
95 POINTS / GOLD Medal – 2025 NEVWC (North East Victorian Wine Competition – “Great bakery notes, dough yeast, good length and scaffolding from all those lees, fruit intensity as well with balanced finish.”
“Light salmon-pink colour; very appealing floral aromas, pot-purri, spicy and nutty barrel ferment, entertainingly complex. Palate is likewise although light bodied and easy going; the balance is dry but soft and fleshy with good extract and richness. A really engaging spicy dry white. Drink now or until 2030.” – 91 POINTS – Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 13th October 2025
Features
Varieties: Pinot Gris 90%, Chardonnay 7%, Gewurztraminer 3%
Colour: Orange
ABV: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Victoria, Australia
Region: Yarra Valley
Vintage: 2025
