Today’s lineup is an all South Island one, wines from Marlborough and North Canterbury jostling for your attention with a quartet from Central. Drilling down, the Central offerings cover four different sub-regions with Pisa, Bannockburn, Wanaka and Alexandra all represented. Not all will be easy to find, but the enjoyment factor is there in all of them.
2025 Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Beguiling perfume,
gum, citrus, peach
notes, youthfully fresh
and very appealing.
Creamily, slippery
mouthfeel, fruit sweet
yet dry, schisty/stony
notes, fruit pastille
with a lightly saline
quality on the long
close which echoes
the warm glow of the
summer sun. A hint of
apricot now on the
palate, very nicely
done.
2024 Penkridge Farm Central Otago Pinot Gris
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Perfumed again,
summer fruits, a
honeyed aspect, more
about the whole than
the individual parts.
Fresh, almost
crunchy, a whisper of
fruit pithy phenolics
giving lift to the
texture. Sweetly
fruited, again with
those honeyed
influences, contrasted
by bright acidity giving
a tangy counterpoint.
Fruit pastille now, nice
volume and very easy
drinking.
2024 Dicey Central Otago Pinot Gris
Rating Very Good to Excellent
There’s a nice
classicism to this,
pear, stonefruits, a
wisp of peach,
fragrant florally
hinting at white rose,
later a schist aspect.
Good flavour
intensity, balance
and integration, a
fresh line of acidity
while a little touch of
chewiness adds to
the texture. A lemony
citrus note comes
through on the long,
fresh close. All in all,
lots to enjoy.
2025 Dunnolly North Canterbury Pinot Gris
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Attractive, engaging
nose, very typical for
the variety, adding a
minerally nuance. The
palate turns up the
volume, nicely ripe
yet dry, excellent
palate weight and
depth of flavour, the
fruit to the fore. With
air, a touch of gum,
while there’s a wisp of
seashell on the close
that nicely contrasts
the fruit. Great appeal,
a sunny disposition
just begging to be
enjoyed.
2025 Maude Central Otago Pinot Gris
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Fragrant nose, a
dusting of icing
sugar on turkish
delight, nashi pear, a
citrussy nuance.
Cool in the mouth
with bright acidity,
ripe yet dry with
some nice chewy
qualities, picking up
spice notes as it
opens up. Youthfully
bright, but already
drinking very well
with enjoyment to be
had over the summer
and beyond. It just
works.
2025 McArthur Ridge Falls Dam Pinot Gris
Rating Excellent
Attractive subtlety,
not overblown but
just quietly draws
you in, fruit pastille
and sherbet lead.
The palate strides
into action, excellent
fruit depth, sweetly
ripe yet once again
dry. Lovely
mouthfeel,
integrations and
balance, a little touch
of grip adding to the
whole. Everything
feels in place here,
fresh, youthful, with
a zesty crisp finish.
