Kumeu River was a pioneer of the New Zealand winemaking industry, established in 1944 when the Brajkovich family settled at Kumeu just outside of Auckland. The estate makes some of New Zealand's finest Chardonnay and is equally adept at some of the more esoteric varietals. All their offerings have shown well at competitions and they excel at Pinot Gris. The estate's Auckland vineyards enjoy beautiful ripening conditions, encouraging the fruit to achieve a level of rich concentration and luscious textures, a very layered and complex Pinot Gris wine.

$2899each $347DOZEN EACH DOZEN Kumeu River endeavours to grow grapes of the highest standard and then treat them with respect, painstakingly turning the finest fruit into outstanding wine. The quality is maximised to the fullest extent, delivering wines that are truly representative of the land. Faulty berries are removed in the field, and the best grapes arrive at the winery in pristine condition. Hand picked, bunch pressed Pinot Gris is treated to a wild indigenous yeast vinification over an extended period, followed by partial malolactic. Ferments are arrested before completely dry, several grams per litre of residual sugar are hardly noticeable due to the concentration of flavour and textural richness.

Light green yellow colour. Aromas of peach and stone fruit notes tinged with the floral perfume that we have come to expect from Pinot Gris. On the palate the wine is rich and complex with an oily texture that coats the tongue and lingers on the palate, with a lovely length of flavour. Pinot Gris is a variety that goes particularly well with food, including quite intensely flavoured dishes.

$1999each $239DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2599each $311DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Sourced from low yielding sites which are managed to yield an exceptional quality of Pinot Gris. Slow ripening mesoclimes and a wonderful level of flavour development, extensive leaf plucking and crop thinning, produce a wine with great complexity and a lovely texture that can only be realized from harvests of the most concentrated fruit, subtle oak treatments, a judicious amount of malolactic influence and extravagant lees stirring regimens.

$2099each $251DOZEN EACH DOZEN Fruit is sourced from the Lawson's Dry Hills property at Waihopai Valley, the balance is picked off adjacent Barnsley vineyard and Dave Eatwell's densely planted hillside vineyard in Omaka Valley. Each site is separately harvested and handled. Grapes are picked through several passes and gently pressed, free runs are filled to fermenters, secondary light pressings are sent to older French oak barriques and puncheons for vinification. Parcels are inoculated with Alsace yeasts and stirred weekly to encourage rich autolysis. After several months resting on sedimentery lees, the best batches are assembled with the pick of barrel ferments into the finished wine.

Light straw yellow hue. Intense pear drop and honeysuckle, red apple and subtle creamy vanilla aromas. Medium bodied with gentle acidity, the palate is rich and round with impressive length and just a sliver of sweetness. Pear and red apple, citrus and poached pear combine with the mealy textures and flavours derived from lees stirring and barrel ferments to produce an elegant, complex wine.

$2399each $287DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2699each $323DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$3499each $419DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Brian Bicknell had been making wine around the world for many years. He returned to Marlborough on a mission to isolate vineyards of unique and individual expression, to construct a range of wines which can articulate the wealth of terroir and microclime clime to be found across greater Marlborough. The rose tinged Pinot Gris grape holds a fair amount of tannin, Mahi endeavour to minimize skin contact for a gentler palate. Being a fruit of low acidity, Mahi ferment the juices right through to dryness in a measure of oak, building structure while preserving eloquence.

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN Pinot Gris is hand picked off a single vineyard, just outside the township of Ward in Awatere Valley, owned and managed by Pam and Polly Francis, fully certified under Bio-Gro as completely organic. Grapes are whole bunch pressed so that the time on skins can be minimised, essential for Pinot Gris, which can affect the finished wine with unwanted phenolic or tannin from the robust skins. Nothing but the purest free run juices are employed, for a more elegant and subtle style. Components are treated to a cool vinification to preserve the expression of site. A portion of the juices are barrel fermented in seasoned French oak, contributing weight of palate, while keeping the oak influence in check.

Light peach yellow hue. Delicately fragrant pear and citrus nose, leesyness and curd notes, a supple hint of milk and nougat oak. A structured palate of effusive fruit character, pears and candied citrus rind, endowed with cool ripened richness supported by a curl of mealy, cashew oak. A lingering finish of great purity, balanced, textural and long.

$19599each $2351DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$19599each $2351DOZEN EACH DOZEN