2024 Prophet's Rock Pinot Gris, Central Otago

Luxurious, decadent aromas of ripe pineapple, mango and rock melon. Bold and generously fruited, there's a definite layer of sweetness which gives a rich character. But, for all the intensity, there's lovely precision and the thread of succulent acidity keeps everything in focus. Drink to 2029.

95 points Jane Skilton for The Real Review, January 2026

This aromatic Alsatian-style Pinot Gris opens with floral and citrus notes wrapped around tropical fruit. It is rich but focused, with the palate following the nose in a harmonious manner.

There’s a light zing to the ample fruit that suggests great versatility at the table. Off-dry in style, with 13g/L residual (natural) sugar, this work swell with food that is salty, or one with heat. It has weight and roundness that is autumn in character, so food needs to have enough textural substance, rather than something too light or too delicate. Try with a Vietnamese green papaya salad with grilled prawns and nuoc cham, or a Moroccan-spiced roast chicken with preserved lemon and apricot.

More about this wine

Pinot Gris has always been a strong focus for Prophet’s Rock. The 2024 is a blend of estate grown fruit from the Rocky Point vineyard in Central Otago’s Bendigo and the Kopuwai in Pisa. A tiny 1% stems from the Prophet’s Rock’s Home Vineyard in Bendigo. The growing season was long and warm, with grapes for this wine harvested over a period that extended over five weeks.

The handpicked fruit was whole bunch pressed over 5-6 hours and fermented with indigenous yeasts in old barrels. Fermentation was unhurried (tends to take 3-4 months), and the wine was aged without racking on gross lees until bottling just before the 2025 harvest started.

About Prophet’s Rock

Prophet’s Rock was established in the late 1990s and pays homage in its name to a 19th-century gold prospector, capturing the spirit of exploration and discovery.

Winemaker Paul Pujol joined Prophet’s Rock in 2005 and has been instrumental in shaping the approach that is grounded in respect for the natural characteristics of the vineyards and gentle handling of fruit, with minimal intervention at the winery. His CV impresses with experience and knowledge accumulated at the likes of Kuentz-Bas in Alsace, and Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé in Bourgogne.