Pinot Gris

Tasting profile

Structure: medium-bodied, medium acidity, dry

Escarpment is one of Martinborough's serious estates, founded by Larry McKenna — the winemaker who did as much as anyone to establish New Zealand Pinot Noir — and it treats Pinot Gris as a wine rather than an easy seller. That means a dry, textural, Alsace-leaning style rather than the faintly sweet commercial version: ripe pear, quince and nashi, a ginger and honeysuckle lift, and an almond-tinged, faintly oily texture from lees work and a portion of old-oak or barrel handling. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity, so weight and mouthfeel carry it rather than crispness. It is a food white — pork, smoked fish, anything with a little spice or sweetness — and it is better at 12°C than fridge-cold.

When to drink

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Where it comes from

Martinborough, New Zealand

Martinborough — a small, highly regarded wine town in the Wairarapa district at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island.

Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris is a white grape and a greyish-skinned mutation of Pinot Noir, historically at home in Alsace and known around the world as Pinot Grigio in Italy and Grauburgunder in German-speaking countries.

More wines

From Escarpment

• Chardonnay — Escarpment, Martinborough
• Te Rehua Pinot Noir — Escarpment, Martinborough

More white wines from Martinborough

• Riesling Te Muna Road Vineyard — Craggy Range, Martinborough
• Sauvignon Blanc — Pencarrow, Martinborough
• Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough — Craggy Range, Martinborough
• Te Muna Riesling — Craggy Range, Martinborough

Frequently asked questions

Where is Pinot Gris from?

Pinot Gris is produced by Escarpment in Martinborough, New Zealand.

What grapes are in Pinot Gris?

Pinot Gris is made from Pinot Gris.