Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015 $24 ★★★★½ I love the heady quince, spiced apple and peach custard aromas, while in the mouth the wine has a sexy, creamy dryness. There’s a lovely rich, yet chalky texture to this wine and it’s all wrapped up in a long, full, finish. Clean, satisfying and … Read More
pinot gris
Mud House Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015
Mud House Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015 $14.99 ★★★★ Scented with apple strudel, poached pear and all sorts of enticing spices, this pinot gris has serious ‘drink me’ factor. Layered with white fruits and showing a tangy, layered flavour profile – this definitely ticks all the boxes for fruit, style and sippability. Widely available.
Ceres Composition Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014
Ceres Composition Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014 $29 ★★★★ Ceres (seh-rez) is a Bannockburn-based company run by Central Otago royalty, the Dicey family. They know that pinot gris comes in a vast array of styles, so they’ve helped pinpoint the flavour of this by including a helpful ‘fuel gauge’ on the label telling us that … Read More
Wairau River Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015
Wairau River Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015 $19.99 ★★★ This is a bright, shiny new pinot gris that has classic green apple, pear and squinty quince characters alongside lifted spicy notes and a seriously tangy finish. The texture has a powdery, chalky feel to it which adds interest – but a few more months in the … Read More
Sam Hunt Gisborne Pinot Gris 2014
Sam Hunt Gisborne Pinot Gris 2014 $21.95 ★★★½ Rich nashi pear and spicy apple strudel aromas sit alongside caramelised stonefruit flavours and a creamy, toasty complexity on the finish of this deliciously dry drink. This would be a great match for a smoked chicken and almond salad. www.lacantina.co.nz
Quest Farm Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014
Quest Farm Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014 $24 ★★★★½ What started out as a mistake (growing a small amount of pinot gris to co-ferment with pinot noir) ended up being an exciting solo project for Mark (Mack) Mason and Michelle Crawford. Fresh quince and nashi characters are sliced through with samurai sword acidity, leaving a … Read More
Sea Level Home Block Pinot Gris 2011
Sea Level Home Block Pinot Gris 2011 $19 ★★★★½ I love the aromas of frangipane, nashi and crème caramel while in the mouth there are layers of gingerbread, quince, pear and prickly, textural acidity. Created from fruit grown in their Mariri vineyard by talented winemaker Sam Smail, this flavourful pinot gris finishes dry and delicious. … Read More
Isabel Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Gris 2012
Isabel Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Gris 2012 $22 ★★★★ This is one of my new favourite pinot gris styles because I love the juicy, marmalade, peach and quince flavours and the rich, deeply textural mouthfeel. It hits that balance between mid-palate generosity and dryness, cleansing crispness and long, luxurious length of flavour. www.glengarry.co.nz
Locharburn Central Otago Pinot Gris 2011
Locharburn Central Otago Pinot Gris 2011 $26 This just hits Central Otago Pinot Gris on the button. Fresh pear and peach notes are edged with a creamy, almondy complexity, wet stone minerality and a burst of cleansing sweetness on the finish. A lovely example from this tiny, Cromwell-based producer. www.locharburnwines.co.nz
Bilancia Hawke’s Bay Reserve Pinot Gris 2008
Bilancia Hawke’s Bay Reserve Pinot Gris 2008 $34 Peach crumble, frangipane, tasty grilled pear and all sorts of good stuff on the nose lead the way to a deliciously rich, stone-fruit packed palate edged with spice and a hint of sweetness which is countered by clean, vibrant acidity. The alcohol is up there (14.5%) but … Read More