2014 Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris, Nelson

Plump, powerful and superbly confident wine. Rich complex and spicy. On first tasting this wine I immediately thought it would be delicious with pork belly poached with star anise and stock, then grilled to crunchy perfection. It was. A surge of ripe fruit (baked pears) flows across to the palate with positive phenolic interest to temper the opulence. A rich, exciting wine which commands attention but is never blowsy. As with its darker skinned cousin Pinot Noir, to give of its best Pinot Gris needs to be cropped at low rates, and preferably in a cool climate. Only then will it reveal its unique characters – a surprisingly tactile mouthfeel (glycerol like) and some intriguing flavours, ranging through the pear, nashi, quince spectrum, with a balance of phenolics rather than assertive acidity.

Single vineyard wine. Nervy and crystal clear smoky nose with real breadth and richness on the palate. A seriously superior Pinot Gris. Racier than Alsace. Much more extract than most Italian Pinot Grigios. Thoroughly satisfying.

JANCIS ROBINSON MW

This is the best NZ Pinot Gris I have tasted this year. Complex, interesting, peachy but dry. Neudorf is relatively small in size but extremely important when it comes to the production of high quality wines.

JOELLE THOMSON, DRINKSBIZ

An off-dry style, it is mouthfilling with concentrated stonefruit and spice flavours, gentle acidity and good complexity. Still very youthful, it’s a ‘serious’ but approachable wine, likely to be at its best 2016+.

MICHAEL COOPER

I love the soft, sweet cornflower, pear and poached white fruit aromas that lead to a rush of juicy stonefruit and hints of cashew on the palate. Dry and deliciously structured, this Nelson-crafted wine has verve, with an attractive, chalky texture on the finish to keep you engaged long after that first taste.

YVONNE LORKIN RNZ