Pinot Gris, Greywacke, Marlborough, New Zealand 750ml

Julia Harding MW, Jancis Robinson

  16.5 points
Ripe, spicy pears, deep and inviting, openly aromatic. In the mouth, this is full-bodied, ripe and yet tangy with sufficient freshness, almost savoury like southern Rhône whites can be but there's also a slight sour note on the finish. Big and gently chewy. I'd have preferred it with less sweetness but it is still well balanced, and without the sweetness the alcohol would have been even higher. Winemaker Kevin Judd describes this as 'old-fashioned' and 'opulent', which is true. Perfect for those who find too many of today's whites austere or skinny. Not especially refreshing but certainly full-flavoured.