Pinot Gris

2011 Astrolabe Marlborough Pinot Gris

The new 2011 pinot gris from the maestro is superb. Grown in the Waihopai and Awatere Valleys , from a fabulous vintage. A portion of the fruit was hand harvested and whole cluster pressed. The cuvée juice was fermented at low temperature with grape solids retained, to impart a creamy texture we so desparately seek in NZ Pinot Gris. "Aromas of white fleshed stonefruit and fresh pear, with a little vanilla pod, cardamom and citrus zest. The palate is pure, easy-drinking wine with a fine minerality and delicacy of structure. Stonefruit and pear flavours dominate." Another beaut from Astrolabe

2011 Mt Difficulty Central Otago Pinot Gris

2009 Kumeu River Pinot Gris

2009 is Kumeu River's twelfth vintage of Pinot Gris. They are already one of NZs top producers and each year as the vines age, the wine gains even more complexity and interest. 2009 has produced an excellent Pinot Gris. It is a little drier than previous years and this gives crisp and refreshing quality to the wine. "The aromas have typical peach and stone fruit notes tinged with the floral perfume that we have come to expect from Pinot Gris. On the palate the wine is rich and complex with an oily texture that coats the tongue and lingers on the palate, with a lovely length of flavour." Pinot Gris is a variety that goes particularly well with food, including quite intensely flavoured dishes. It is also one of the few wine styles that can handle the spiciness of chilli, so together with the sweet succulence of prawns, a nicely chilled bottle of Kumeu River Pinot Gris makes up a spectacular combination.

2011 Terrace Heights Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris

The last few vintages of this wine have got silver medal after silver medal - the 2009 had no less than seven - the 2011 has had two already, but now the fine folk at Terrace Heights Estate can hold their heads up high as the 2011 has finally been awarded a well deserved "Excellent" gold medal equivalent at the Marlborough Wine Show recently. And it was one of only three Pinot Gris to be awarded such status. Well done guys. We have always thought this wine to be deserving of gold medals. It has been a favourite of ours and our customers for quite some time now. Repesenting great value in Pinot Gris it is full of figs, pears, apples and nougat with a fantastic nutmeg spice coming through on the finish. It is rich and weighty yet sits at the drier end of the spectrum. A really nice Pinot Gris.

2004 Hugel Tokay Pinot Gris

2010 Bilancia Hawkes Bay Pinot Grigio

A top class Pinot Gris made by Warren Gibson. Normally $28. Yvonne Lorkin- a well known Hawkes Bay wine writer writes "Pinot Gris is here to stay and the volumes out there are increasing at a rate we haven't seen since sauvignon blanc. So it's a good thing that finally our winemakers are getting their heads around the potential of the fruit and what each region and sub-region are capable of. Finally we're seeing crisp, clean intensity of flavour, textural elegance and, in a case proven by a six-vintage tasting of Bilancia's example, solid ability to age. (

2009 Dry River Martinborough Pinot Gris

Very rarely do we get to offer out what is perhaps NZ'S greatest Pinot Gris- it is made in tiny amounts so jump on this. "From the first vintage in 1986, for many years Dry River towered over other NZ Pinot Gris, by virtue of its exceptional body, flavour richness and longevity. A sturdy Martinborough wine, it has peachy, spicy characters that can develop great subtlety and richness with maturity ( at around five years old for top vintages, which also hold for a decade. ) .It is grown in the estate vineyards and nearby Craighall Vineyard; the majority of the vines are over 25 years old. The youthful 2009 is fleshy, with ripe stone fruit and spice flavours, a sliver of sweetness and lovely depth, delicacy and harmony." M.Cooper. 5 Stars.

2010 Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Gris

2010 Quartz Reef Otago Pinot Gris

Made by the highly talented European winemaker Rudi Bauer who makes wine for a number of other Central Otago labels but Quartz Reef is his own label. This is a sophisticated, serious pinot gris that is whole bunch pressed, less stirred for 6 months and fermented till dry. "Its rich and ripe with pear, apple and spice flavours. Lush, creamy, oily, stylish yet firm finish with a nutty spicy length." Class pinot gris from a small cropping vintage.

2011 Vavasour Awatere Pinot Gris

Normally $24. The 2011 (4 1/2 stars) is richly scented and mouthfilling, with peach, pear and lychee flavours showing excellent depth, delicacy and balance. Slightly sweet, vibrantly fruity and youthful;, it has some spicy, gingery notes adding interest and obvious potential.