Otago Daily Times

Plenty of choices for pinot gris fans

- MARK HENDERSON INOT Gris is New Zealand’s fourthmost planted variety and producer by volume, behind sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and chardonnay. To put that into perspectiv­e though, the 20,953 tonnes harvested in 2019 are equivalent to only 7% of the vol

P2018 Main Divide North Cantebury Pinot Gris

Price: $20.99 Rating: Excellent

Pear, gumdrops, a little struck match and burnt toast with a saline hint. Powerfully pear driven, just offdry palate with hints of spice, gum and a whiff of salted caramel. Shows excellent richness yet also with freshness building as it opens up. A sweetfruit­ed note hangs on the long finish. Good bang for buck.

www.maindivide.com

2018 Master of Ceremonies Gisborne

Pinot Gris

Price: $18.99

Rating: Very good

Candied citrus peel, talcum, gum and stonefruit, adding straw & honey with aeration. Subtle palate, relatively dry, initially somewhat inexpressi­ve with a soapy nuance, yet this gains interest nicely in the glass showing good weight, depth and texture with bright lift on the close. Some very easy drinking here.

www.drinkmc.co.nz

2018 Riverby Estate Marlboroug­h

Pinot Gris

Price: $22

Rating: Very good

Bubble gum, wine gums, toast and honey, hard candy with time. The palate is drier than the nose would suggest. Ripe nectarine, citrus, barely ripe apricot with attractive oiliness: a little apricot kernel note adds chewiness.

There’s good texture and richness here, and this is in the slot to enjoy now.

www.riverbyest­ate.com

2016 Main Divide North Cantebury Pinot Gris

Price: $20.99 Rating: Excellent

Rich and appealing nose of musk, toast and honey, with added interest from the botrytis influences. Palate is less sweet than you might expect sitting in the offdry category. Fascinatin­g mix of stonefruit, honey and hops; the latter bringing an intriguing bitterswee­t note into play. An appealingl­y long finish.

www.maindivide.com

2018 Misha’s Vineyard Dress Circle

Central Otago

Pinot Gris

Price: $28 Rating: Excellent

Talcum and gum drops, stonefruit, a little smoker’s lolly, honey later as the nose swells. Subtly expressed yet appealing. Rich and textural palate, just offdry in style, retaining freshening acidity. Good balance with nice fruit weight; creamy texture enlivened by a little apricot kernel chewiness.

www.mishasvine­yard.com

2017 Te Muna Valley The Falcon Martinboro­ugh

Pinot Gris

Price: $19.99

Rating: Good to very good

A subtle nose playing in the sweet ‘n’ sour spectrum, rounding out with aeration. Noticeably sweeter palate,creates a counterpoi­nt to sweet ‘n’ sour notes: time sees this evolve to pear and boiled sweets. Good acidity creates freshness.

www.vinomofo.co.nz

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from New Zealand