When pinot gris has fruit, texture and good balance, it can be delicious, but if it's unbalanced by being overly sweet or high in alcohol, it's not so pleasant.
This tasting turned up some lovely examples.
Check the wine reviews on www.odt.co.nz for more from this tasting.
Wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions. All wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.
BEST VALUE
$22
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
A fresh, lively wine oozing ripe pears and white-fleshed peaches with a suggestion of nuts, concentrated, powerful, with a dry finish. Aronuiwines.co.nz
$22
Four stars
Good value
A lovely wine with charming fruit - pears, peaches and underlying cashews, fresh, nicely balanced and textural with a long aftertaste. From Blind River Valley, south of the Awatere, in Marlborough. tinpothut.co.nz
$16
Three stars
Average value
One of the light, lower-alcohol wines that is currently fashionable, this is delicately flavoured with a little sweetness. It's slightly tingly in the mouth, which makes it a refreshing summer drink, but it's still 9.5% alcohol. missionestate.co.nz
$15
Three stars
Average value
Another lower-alcohol (9%) wine, attractive with zesty hints of fresh pears and ripe apples, light flavours and a fruity finish. A pleasant summer drink. villamaria.co.nz
$25
Three stars plus
Average value
A full-bodied wine with pleasant hints of stone fruit, a suggestion of nuts from ageing on lees, and a firm, dry, if slightly hot finish. Good with food. sacredhill.com
$25
Four stars
Average value
A fragrant, mouth-filling wine with hints of stone fruit and nuts, this is rich with some sweetness and a nicely structured finish. weaverwines.co.nz
ANOTHER GLASS
Drafters Gate Chapter 5 Wanaka Pinot Gris 2013
$25
Three and a half stars
Average value
With aromatic hints of ripe pears and gorse flowers, this is rich and full bodied with some sweetness, an oily texture and an attractive fresh finish.
draftersgate.co.nz
