After talking to my regular tasting panel of Collins and McLaren, I’ve decided that I may be the odd one out.
While I taste pinot gris regularly (it is my job after all!), I very rarely buy it.
My chums mentioned friends arriving for dinner with pinot gris more often than sav or chardonnay nowadays.
Yet another note to self: must do better.
2018 Aurum
Organic
Central Otago pinot gris
Price: $28
Rating: Very good to
excellent
Bold nose, baked apple pie
and pie crust shifting to
pear, perfume and lemon
squash; a little yeast/apple
cider with time. Creamy
palate, spiced baked
fruit, pears, the
sweetness growing with
aeration leading to a
barley sugar note on the
close. Feels a little more
developed, remaining
fresh, clean and
absolutely approachable
now.
2020 Hunter’s
Marlborough pinot gris
Price: $24.95
Rating: Very good to excellent
Nose builds nicely in volume,
red apple, spice, honey, white
flower-like florals; baked fruits
with time. Soft and supple
entry revealing gum drops,
apple, pear jam and honey.
A little sweetness on the
front palate initially flowing
to a drier mid palate: with
time that sweetness more
evident, yet there’s a lovely
sweetness/acid interplay
on the close that keeps this
fresh.
2020 Otuwhero Estate
Marlborough pinot gris
Price: $19.95
Rating: Very good to excellent
Sweetly fragrant, fruit jube,
pineapple, honey, blood
orange with time, easy
appeal. The focus on the
palate shifts between
tropical fruit, stonefruit and
apple with a honeyed note
framing the close. Starts
with a little fruit
sweetness that grows to
an overt fatness yet
moves to a drier mid-
palate keeping this fresh.
2019 Riverby Estate
Single Vineyard
Marlborough pinot gris
Price: $22
Rating: Excellent
Bright, expressive nose with
fruit sherbet, wine gums,
apricot and pear. A burst of
sweet fruit with the flavours
echoing the nose. Not an ‘‘in
your face’’ style, just super
depth of flavour and
balance with a zesty fresh,
dry finish. The nose pulls a
little into its shell over time
as the palate develops a
slippery, slinky mouth-
feel, exhibiting a whisper
more fruit sweetness.
2019 Durvillea
Marlborough pinot gris
Price: $17
Rating: Excellent
Floral nose, pear, nutty
nuances and savoury
elements, clotted cream with
aeration. There’s fruit
sweetness here, yet this is a
drier expression with nuts,
baked apple and straw
leading the way to a fruit
cordial note on the close.
Quietly creeps up on
you, a tangy, zestiness
grows, keeping this
bright and fresh. The
long finish hangs in your
mouth.
2020 Hawkshead
Central Otago pinot gris
Price: $29
Rating: Excellent to outstanding
Dusty minerality, pear,
apricot, fruit pastilles, real
interest here. Classic
stonefruit characters, cashew
nut, a honeyed note yet not
sweet with a spicy finish.
Great fruit intensity and
richness; a line of acid
running through this to
keep it fresh. Lovely
balance and sheer
drinkability, fruit sweet, yet
dry. Delicious.
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