New Zealand Listener - October 13, 2018

OCTOBER 13 2018 LISTENER 41

dryness. Freshly scented, it is

mouthfilling (13% alc/vol),

with youthful, citrusy, spicy,

slightly peachy and nutty

flavours showing a touch of

complexity and a crisp finish.

$22

Main Divide North

Canterbury Pinot Gris

2016

From Pegasus Bay,

this is a medium

style, drinking well

now. Bright yellow,

with a slightly hon-

eyed fragrance, it is

weighty (13% alc/

vol), with concen-

trated, well-ripened

peach and apricot flavours,

spicy, honeyed notes and a

rich, slightly sweet, very har-

monious finish. $21

Misha’s Vineyard Dress Circle

Central Otago Pinot Gris 2017

This attractive, youthful wine

was estate-grown at Bendigo

and part of the blend was

fermented with indigenous

yeasts in old French oak bar-

rels. Made in an off-dry style, it

is highly fragrant and weighty

(13.5% alc/vol), with pure

pear, lychee and stone-fruit

flavours showing excellent

freshness, delicacy and length.

$28

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris

2017

From a cool, elevated, inland

site at Crownthorpe, this invit-

ingly scented wine is drinking

well. Medium-bodied (12%

alc/vol), with vibrant, peachy,

slightly spicy and honeyed

flavours, a sliver of sweetness

and impressive vigour, varietal

character and depth, it offers

fine value. $18

Mount Riley Marlborough Pinot

Gris 2018

Bargain-priced, this is a full-

bodied (13% alc/vol), fresh

wine with pear, peach, lychee

and spice flavours,

showing good

varietal character.

An off-dry style, it is

attractively scented

with excellent deli-

cacy and vibrancy.

$18

Mt Diculty

Bannockburn Pinot

Gris 2017

Grown and hand-picked at

Bannockburn, in Central

Otago, this freshly scented

and mouthfilling wine (14%

alc/vol) was made in a basi-

cally dry style. Vibrantly

fruity, it has strong, pure pear

and lychee flavours, a hint of

spiciness and excellent deli-

cacy, harmony and depth. $27

Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate

Single Vineyard Central Otago

Pinot Gris 2017

Certified biodynamic, this

very classy wine was hand-

harvested at Bendigo. It is

highly scented and mouth-

filling (13.5% alc/vol), with

beautifully vibrant, well-

ripened pear, lychee and spice

flavours showing excellent

intensity, finely balanced acid-

ity and a dry, lingering finish.

It’s already delicious. $33

Rapaura Springs Reserve

Marlborough Pinot Gris 2018

Offering very easy drinking,

this freshly scented, exuber-

antly fruity wine is full-bodied

(13.5% alc/vol), with ripe,

peachy flavours, a sliver of

sweetness and gentle acidity.

Enjoyable young. $19

Saddleback Central Otago Pinot

Gris 2018

Instantly appealing, this

tank-fermented, lees-aged

wine is intensely varietal, with

mouthfilling body (13.5%

alc/vol), vibrant, concen-

trated pear, peach and lychee

flavours, fractional sweetness,

finely balanced acidity and a

floral bouquet. $24

Stoneleigh Wild Valley

Marlborough Pinot Gris

2018

Priced sharply, this

fragrant, finely bal-

anced wine is already

delicious, with

mouthfilling body

(13% alc/vol), pear,

peach and spice fla-

vours showing very

good vigour, depth

and harmony and a slightly

sweet, crisp finish. $18

Summerhouse

Marlborough Pinot

Gris 2018

This good-value

regional blend is

freshly aromatic

and full-bodied

(13.5% alc/vol),

with good intensity

of vibrant, ripe

pear, lychee and

spice flavours and a

dryish finish. $19

Terrace Edge Waipara Pinot Gris

2017

Worth cellaring, this character-

ful wine was mostly fermented

with indigenous yeasts in old

oak barrels. Weighty (13.5%

alc/vol) and fleshy, it has

strong, ripe peach, pear and

spice flavours, showing good

complexity, a gentle splash of

sweetness and a rich, smooth

finish. $25

Thornbury Waipara

Pinot Gris 2018

A rare example

of a low-priced

pinot gris with

personality. This

North Canterbury

wine is full-bodied

(13.5% alc/vol) and

vibrantly fruity, with

generous stone-fruit

and pear flavours, gentle spicy

notes, fresh acidity and an off-

dry finish. Great value. $15 l

Full of personality, this North

Canterbury wine was fer-

mented in old oak barrels.

Mouthfilling (14% alc/vol),

with stone-fruit and spice fla-

vours, a vague hint of honey,

and excellent complexity and

richness; it’s a dry style that is

already drinking well. $26

Greystone Waipara

Valley Pinot Gris 2017

Already delicious,

this ripely scented

wine is full-bodied

(13.5% alc/vol)

and fleshy, with

highly concentrated

stone-fruit and spice

flavours, a hint of

ginger, good com-

plexity, a creamy texture and

a dry finish. Certified organic.

$26

Greywacke

Marlborough Pinot

Gris 2016

This powerful,

barrel-aged wine

is fragrant, sturdy

(14.5% alc/vol) and

rich, with slightly

sweet stone-fruit,

ginger and spice

flavours showing

excellent complex-

ity, delicacy and depth. $29

Hans Herzog Marlborough Pinot

Gris 2017

Prepare for something differ-

ent: this thought-provoking

wine is apricot-coloured, from

lengthy skin contact with the

juice, and was partly oak-aged.

Perfumed and weighty (14%

alc/vol), it is bone-dry, with

powerful peach, strawberry

and apricot flavours and

loads of personality. Certified

organic. $39

Mahi Marlborough Pinot Gris

2018

This single-vineyard wine was

hand-picked in the Awatere

Valley and fermented to full