Wine notes

Pinot gris is rapidly gaining favour amongst wine drinkers, so what makes it so special? Master of Wine Emma Jenkins explains its allure.

Hands up who loves pinot gris? I’ll bet there are plenty of hands waving in the air. Whilst sauvignon blanc has long been New Zealand’s key white, more recently it’s been fellow aromatic pinot gris capturing the hearts of consumers. Wine drinkers love its fruity ripeness and soft texture, and production has doubled over the past decade, with pinot gris fast closing in on chardonnay to become the country’s second most planted white variety.

Fans might be surprised to discover pinot gris is actually a mutation of the red grape pinot noir, and its grapes have a distinctive pink hue which can sometimes be seen in the wines.

It’s grown widely around the world but pinot gris’ spiritual home is Alsace in north-eastern France, where it produces intensely fruited, spicy wines. Italy is also famed for its “pinot grigio”, which is made in a quite different style: light, crisp and rather neutral.

This is part of pinot gris’ charm – it’s very versatile. In New Zealand, styles vary widely from light, dry and refreshing to intensely sweet dessert wines. Most, however, are made in an off-dry, fruit-focused style that emphasises NZ’s hallmark vivid aromatics and intense fruit purity. Typical aromas and flavours are ripe pear, apple, honeysuckle, quince, citrus, baking spice and gingerbread, and the wines usually have a touch of residual sugar to balance NZ’s naturally crisp acidity. A key part of pinot gris’ wide appeal seems to be that it’s less pungent and acidic than sauvignon blanc, softer and fruitier than chardonnay.

Grown the country’s length and breadth, the varying climates and soils help provide pinot gris’ diverse range of styles. Warmer regions such as Auckland and Hawke’s Bay produce fuller-bodied wines with rounded rich fruit and softer acidity, whilst wines from the cooler southern regions of Martinborough and the South Island are highly aromatic with bright fruit and crisper acidity, typically becoming lighter in body as they move further south. Most pinot gris winemaking preserves its perfumed, fruit-driven nature but some winemakers use subtle oak and yeast lees to increase savoury complexity and texture.

The darling of wine bars, pinot gris is often enjoyed by itself, but don’t overlook its versatile food matching skills. A richly flavoured dry pinot gris is fantastic with roast pork or chicken, it’s a great match with pasta carbonara, and a standout with pâté. It’s perfect for many smoked and spiced foods, and a popular partner for Indian, Thai and “fusion” food, although bear in mind, the hotter the food, the sweeter the wine you’ll need.

So grab one of the top drops below, and start waving your hands in the air for pinot gris!

The darling of wine bars, pinot gris is often enjoyed by itself.