A selection of Pinot Gris smashes it out of the park

I really don’t know what was in the water on the particular Monday that I tasted a raft of these Pinot Gris but it seemed like every wine was on song. Perhaps it was the vintage as the majority of these are from 2024 — which winemakers seem pretty bullish about — or perhaps the wineries have had a gentle hand on the tiller, as they all seemed somehow effortless.

Freshness was a recurring theme, openness and readiness to be enjoyed another. There is a stat (whether true or not) that 99.9% of wine is opened within 48 hours of purchase: this group would certainly lend weight to the wisdom of that adage.

2024 Carrick Organic Bannockburn Pinot Gris 

 
Price RRP $32
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
 
Bright, expressive 
nose, nutty 
elements, perfume, 
nashi pear. Ripe/
sweet fruit in the 
mouth, nice 
mouthfeel and 
balance, a backbone 
of acidity providing 
freshness and 
counterpoint to the 
ripe fruit. Flows to a 
nicely just off-dry 
close as nuttiness 
returns. A wee funky 
touch creeps in 
adding complexity to 
nose and palate. 
Wonderful texture, 
serious wine and oh-
so-drinkable.
 
 

2024 Astrolabe Province Marlborough Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $28
Rating Excellent
 
Florality bounds out 
of the glass, with 
pear and a touch of 
gravelly minerality. 
Really fresh, almost 
tangy, brightness 
and lift that hits the 
refreshment 
buttons. Plays the 
pear card very 
nicely with red 
apple, beeswax 
nuances and 
excellent length. 
With air sweeter 
fruit pastille joins in 
while chewy grip is 
evident, really 
adding to the 
texture.
 
 

2023 Astrolabe Sleepers Vineyard Kekerengu Coast Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $32
Rating Very Good to Excellent
 
Really perfumed, 
talcum powder/soap 
(in a nice way) 
shifting to classic 
stone fruits as it 
opens. The palate 
comes across drier 
with chewy grip, 
stone fruits again 
with savoury hints. 
There’s a real zesty/
tangy quality to the 
close, which aligned 
to the dryness and 
palate weight would 
make this a cracking 
food combo; maybe 
creamy pasta?
 
 

2024 Main Divide by Pegasus Bay Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $21.99
Rating Excellent
 
Hints of cologne, 
savoury aspects, 
beeswax/comb honey 
and pear, real volume. 
A touch of sweetness 
frames the front 
palate, fatness, 
richness with a little 
touch of intrigue rather 
than pristinely clean 
which just adds to the 
interest. Generosity, 
great length and very 
enjoyable right now. 
With time, nose and 
palate show a musky 
botrytis touch with 
wisps of almond on 
the long finish.
 
 

2024 Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $25
Rating Excellent
 
Engaging nose, stone 
fruits as one might 
expect, spice and 
honey. Good texture, 
almost creamy yet 
there’s juiciness and 
vibrancy too, good 
flavour intensity with 
cashew nut influences 
on the long close. Very 
much ‘‘together’’, 
lovely integration with 
nothing out of place, 
crying out to be 
enjoyed now. With air 
perfume grows, the 
freshness now ever 
more to the fore.
 
 

2024 Grove Mill Marlborough Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $19.99
Rating Very Good to Excellent
 
The nose needs a little 
coaxing but opens out 
nicely to notes of 
pear, nectarine and 
white flowers. The 
palate shows a touch 
of sweetness, equally 
matched by 
crunchiness and 
juiciness that lead to a 
just off-dry finish. 
With air, wine gums 
on the nose, the fruit 
sweetness swells and 
the flavours fan out to 
fill the mouth. Likely 
to be very good value 
on promo.
 
 

2024 Riverby Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $24
Rating Excellent
 
Again perfumed and 
floral, apple melds 
with nectarine and 
pear. Ripeness/fruit 
sweetness leads the 
way, musk and wine 
gum joined by stone 
fruits and apple 
before the core of 
acidity does its job 
bringing real juiciness 
and freshness. With 
time in the glass this 
builds very nicely and 
the length increases; 
it’s just simply a 
rather nice wine in a 
very good place.
 
 

2024 Penkridge Farm Central Otago Pinot Gris

 
Price RRP $34
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
 
Floral, this hints 
more at the tropical 
spectrum, pineapple 
and apple, stone 
fruits bubbling up 
with time. Great 
texture in the mouth, 
fruit richness is 
there, yet a 
riverstones-like 
minerality and lovely 
chewy grip. Great 
length, fresh, zesty, 
excellent flavour 
depth and structure. 
Quite grown up and 
serious yet 
incredibly drinkable. 
Smart wine.
 

 

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