Look out for the Taste Top Wine Award stickers on these bottles at supermarkets and selected liquor retailers.
Under $20
Mount Riley 2016 Pinot Gris, Marlborough $17.99
Attractive pinot gris in an off/dry style with delicate pear and apple flavours plus a suggestion of nutty yeast lees character. Silken-textured wine.
The Ned 2017 Pinot Gris, Marlborough $17.95
Moderately flavoursome pinot gris with a mix of citrus and tree fruit flavours plus a suggestion of mineral character for extra complexity. Nice purity and a smooth texture.
Montana 2016 Reserve Pinot Gris, Hawke’s Bay $16.99
Appealing pinot gris in a medium/dry style with stewed apple and pear flavours. Creamy-textured wine with plenty of warmth and richness.
Pencarrow 2017 Pinot Gris, Martinborough $19
Delicately aromatic pinot gris with typical pear, ripe apple and quince flavours together with a suggestion of spicy ginger. Seamless wine with a barely discernible hint of sweetness.
$20-$30
Ostler 2016 Lakeside Vines Pinot Gris, Waitaki River $29.90
Pungent, aromatic pinot gris with appealing purity, depth and a creamy texture. Pear, floral, mineral and delicately nutty flavours.
Seresin 2016 Pinot Gris, Marlborough $24
Rich, robust and pleasingly spicy pinot gris with ginger, rock melon, peach and mango flavours. Beautifully crafted wine.
Quartz Reef 2016 Bendigo Pinot Gris, Central Otago $28
Impressively textural pinot gris – rich and silken smooth with subtle citrus, green pear, ginger and bready lees flavours. Made in a bone-dry style.
Nautilus 2016 Pinot Gris, Marlborough $29.95
Delicately aromatic pinot gris with typical pear and apple flavours plus a suggestion of nutty yeast lees. A good wine for people who think they don’t like pinot gris.
Over $30
Spy Valley 2016 Envoy Johnson Vineyard Pinot Gris, Marlborough $32
Rich, quite sweet pinot gris with luscious honey, poached pear and honeysuckle flavours. Smooth-textured with a lengthy finish.
Clark Estate 2016 Clericus Wild Pinot Gris, Marlborough $35
Clark Estate’s flagship pinot gris is rich and flavoursome with savoury toast, ginger, poached pear and brioche flavours. Slightly sweet but not at all cloying.
The Elder 2016 Pinot Gris, Martinborough $43
Attractively aromatic pinot gris with concentrated ginger, white peach, pear and subtle spicy oak flavours. Made in a dry style.
Poderi Crisci 2016 Pinot Grigio, Waiheke $36.50
Quite a lush, rich wine with classic apple and pear flavours amplified by a hint of sweetness. Attractive wine with personality.
Did you know?
Pinot noir is a red grape, pinot gris is a pink grape and pinot blanc is a white grape. All three grapes are identical according to their DNA fingerprint. Pinot noir has been around for such a long time, around 2000 years, that it has morphed into many different forms.
