Pinot Gris is to New Zealand what sand is to the beach – it’s hard to avoid. But unlike sand, which gets in everything and generally isn’t great, Kiwi Pinot Gris are awesome! Hailing from Central Otago the Chard Farm take on this variety is everything you look for in a white wine, refreshing without being bland.
The perfume is very floral, and somewhat complex with pear, flint, and a smattering of dried herbs – aromatic but subtle. The fruit has a nice amount of weight on the palate, enough so that you can really get the flavours (especially the pear) but with a finish that is both fresh yet slightly spicy.
Awards and Accolades
Nick Stock, The Age Good Food Guide: (2011) A little beeswax and wild grasses, melon fruits and a little baked apple too. The palate has slippery pear- and melon-flavoured flesh, and finishes much cleaner and drier than most. Nice chalky edge.
Bob Campbell, Master of Wine: 4 Star Rating (2012) Light pear and apple flavours in this charming and restrained Pinot Gris. Very pure, delicate wine with a soft texture and a hint of sweetness that adds to its appeal. Seductive Pinot Gris that can be enjoyed without the complication of food.
About the Winery
Chard Farm was established in 1987 by Motueka brothers Rob & Greg Hay. They were the first to come into the area with the intention of setting up a commercial vineyard and selected the Chard Farm site after careful evaluation of the peculiarities of grape growing in Central Otago. Rob studied winemaking in Germany for three years in the early eighties before returning to New Zealand in 1985 to search for the, terroir, that best emulated the cool continental climate and soils of some of the greatest wine producing areas of the world -- most notably the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France. That search lead to Central Otago. The long term goal being to craft the finest classic cool climate varietal wines of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.
Don't Pay: $30.00
WBW Rating: 94/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Central Otago, New Zealand
Winemaker: John Wallace
Drink now until: 2020
Alc/Vol: 14 %
