How’s this for hands-off winemaking. Organic fruit harvested a little later than normal to enhance the fruit sweetness and then the juice is left to soak overnight with the skins to extract a little more texture and complexity. Extended lees stirring during a ferment kickstarted with wild yeasts from the vineyard itself has added layers … Read More
pinot gris
Terra Sancta Lola’s Block Central Otago Pinot Gris 2016
Terra Sancta Lola’s Block Central Otago Pinot Gris 2016 $27.45 ★★★★½ Jody Pagey and Len Ibbotson are the winemaking and viticulture guru’s responsible for this luscious and tangy, southern star pinot gris. It’s a wine that seduced me from the get-go with its punchy nashi freshness and apple strudel spices. Rich and luscious and bursting … Read More
Neudorf Maggies Block Nelson Pinot Gris 2015
Neudorf Maggies Block Nelson Pinot Gris 2015 $26 ★★★★ The thing that really impressed me was the immediate aromatic hit of baked apple, crushed sea-shells and spice. It’s a lean, dry, ultra-clean style of pinot gris that has tightwire acidity on the palate and a long, chalky finish. I’d be sipping this with slowcooked pork … Read More
Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015
Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★½ Hot off the bottling line, winemaker Philip Barber has created a pale gold, pear and peach-laden pinot gris that has absolutely lovely layers of dried pineapple, caramel, anise, rockmelon and fig. Yes, you heard me correct – there’s THAT much in this wine. Pronounced ‘Pea-tarny Station’, … Read More
Sacred Hill Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015
Sacred Hill Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015 $19 ★★★½ The aromas of this wine remind me of old school eskimo lollies from the pick’n’mix bins at the supermarket. Soft cornflower florals, pear, hints of apple and sweet confection. On the palate however it’s a different story, with the team at Sacred Hill producing a clean, tangy, … Read More
Mishas Vineyard Dress Circle Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015
Mishas Vineyard Dress Circle Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★ If you think you’re ready to take your pinot gris appreciation to the next level then here’s your stepladder. Crafted by guru winemaker Olly Masters from vines growing on the vertigo-inducingly steep slopes of Bendigo overlooking Lake Dunstan, this wine has powerful roast pear, … Read More
Spade Oak Voysey Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015
Spade Oak Voysey Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015 $18 ★★★★ What Steve and Eileen Voysey don’t know about growing grapes in Gisborne probably isn’t worth thinking about. They’re experts in gleaning every drop of excellence from their vineyards and this stonefruit-packed pinot gris is no exception. With nashi pear, quince and classic, baked apple and musky … Read More
Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris 2015
Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris 2015 $29 ★★★★ Winemaker Todd Stevens and viticulturist Richard Flatman have done a cracker of a job creating pinot gris that smells like pear and apple strudel served with poached quince and cream. Exotically spicy, chock full of ripe fruit and has a deeply textural mouthfeel that’s fresh and funky. A … Read More
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015 $25 ★★★★½ Lovers of sweeter pinot gris are sure to go doolally over this honeysuckle-soaked style. Think nectarine, nashi pear, mandarin and the pungent tang of quince, make this Bannockburn-grown gris downright gorgeous. Superb with your next chicken tikka marsala. www.domainroad.co.nz
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015 $19.99 ★★★★½ Crafted by Geoff Wright using organic, biodynamic methods or “chaos” as he calls it, this is about as “hands off” as you can get before basically expecting the grapes to turn themselves into wine. This straw-gold pinot gris shows a lifted, chalky, nutty aroma and a … Read More