Poetson Winery Coferment: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir

An interesting thing about Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris as a combination—they're mutations of the same variety. Pinot Noir, for many reasons, is a grape that's prone to mutation. Pinot Gris is one such mutation, where you have, at most, a slightly sort of—you know—pink-purple hue, a very, very light hue to it. It has less pigment in comparison to Pinot Noir.

But Pinot Gris is considerably more tannic. It also has a noticeable spice, a pepper quality, which plays incredibly well with the Pinot Noir from Old Shore, which shows pomegranate, cranberry fruits, a little bit of rose floral note, and then this incredible sort of tea texture. And then that spice and subtle tannin—on a very sort of delicate body—it gives it texture, and creates something that's delicate but not fragile.

For this wine, we harvested Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, which are grown right next to each other, on the same day, and fermented them together.

The grapes were destemmed and fermented in an egg-shaped fermenter for 34 days. It's a long maceration, and I was going for an infusion-style maceration. So what that means is that I wasn't doing any sort of techniques that would lead to a more heavy extraction—no pump-overs, no punch-downs—just this slow, almost tea-like infusion.

After that 34-day maceration, the grapes were pressed and the juice transferred to old neutral oak barrels, where it was aged for 10 months, virtually untouched. And then it was bottled and rested in bottle for about 3 to 4 months before release.



Founded in 2023, Poetson Wine is the work of winemaker Alex McNeely. After a decade as a Beverage Director and Sommelier in New York City, McNeely returned to his Southwest Michigan roots to craft wines that speak of place and tradition. As a one-person operation, Poetson represents McNeely’s winemaking philosophy and dedication to craft.
Based in Buchanan, Michigan, Poetson focuses on expressing Michigan terroir through minimal-intervention winemaking. Working with vineyards along Lake Michigan’s shore—from the Lake Michigan Shore AVA and north to the Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula AVAs—McNeely builds relationships with growers who share his commitment to quality and sustainability.
The winemaking approach centers on transparency by using native yeasts and striving to work without additions. By using native yeasts and working without additions beyond what’s in the grape itself, each wine reflects its origins. The portfolio features Michigan-grown Vinifera varieties, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Grüner Veltliner.

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