Attention wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs! Are you ready to embark on a journey through the enchanting realm of wine? Look no further than the captivating Pinot Grigio, a wine celebrated for its elegance, versatility, and unrivalled charm. To honour this exceptional varietal, we are thrilled to announce a special promotion in celebration of Pinot Grigio Day, offering a generous 12% discount on our fabulous selection of Pinot Grigio wines.
Indulge in this remarkable opportunity to savour the delights of this beloved wine at an incredible value!
But before you dig in ... did you know these top 5 fun facts?
* Pronounced: pee-no gree-geo
* This variety was born in Burgundy France (called Pinot Gris) but the Pinot Grigio style most probably originated in Italy.
Pinot Gris wines are generally made from riper grapes exposed to the sun for longer. The resulting Pinot Gris wines are fuller-bodied, drier, and richer, and they feature more notes of tropical fruits than their Italian Grigio cousins.
* Pinot Grigio is not made from white wine grapes! 'Gris' or 'grigio' refers to the 'gray' or 'grayish-blue' shade of the berries
* The largest plantings of pinot gris are not found in France or Italy but in Germany
* Although these wines are not meant for aging, Alsatian styles are the exception and can be cellared for 5-10 years.
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2024 Tohu Awatere Valley Pinot Gris
Regular price £16.99A complex and fruit-driven Pinot Gris from Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, this wine shows aromas of juicy pear and citrus blossom leading to a palate of fresh quince, golden apple, and hints of sweet spice. With integrated fine phenolics and smooth acidity this is a fresh and richly textured wine with a long and lingering finish.
Viticulture
The grapes from this wine are sourced from two vineyards located in the cool southern Awatere Valley region of Marlborough. The majority of the grapes come from a vineyard near the coastal planes of the Awatere, with a smaller portion of the grapes sourced from a vineyard located further inland on young fertile river terraces.
The 2018/2019 growing season in the Awatere began with some unsettled weather over the flowering period which resulted in lower yields throughout the vineyards. However, the warm and dry summer that followed provided a dream run for both the vineyard and winemaking teams. With no disease pressure in the vineyard and ideal weather over the harvest period, grapes were able to be picked at optimal ripeness, resulting in a wine with outstanding aromatics, palate weight and texture
Vinification
Grapes sourced from a number of prime sites in the Awatere Valley are gently pressed once at the winery to obtain beautifully clear free-run juice, with the harder pressings keep separate and allowed to oxidise and soften phenolics before being re-combined with the free-run. The juice is then settled and racked into stainless steel tanks for warming and inoculation with carefully selected yeasts.
Fermentation is carried out at cool temperatures of around 10-13°C to help preserve the fruity characters and lasts around 21 days until the balance of residual sugar and acidity/phenolics has reached the ideal point. Post-ferment the wine is held in tank and matured for a short period of time before being stabilised ready for bottling. With no additional finings judged necessary, this wine was ready for bottling in early July 2019.
Producer
Tohu produces award-winning New Zealand wine crafted from grapes grown in our breathtakingly beautiful, Awatere Valley vineyard. When Tohu launched in 1998 we were the world's first Maori-owned wine company. Since then we’ve grown a reputation for producing premium wine in a range of varieties, winning awards for our Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Méthode Traditionnelle.
Specifications
| Year | 2024 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Gris |
| Country | New Zealand |
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| Units of alcohol per bottle | 10.1 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Vegan & Vegetarian Approved |
| Food Matches |
Chilli, ginger and battered fish soft tacos with fresh coriander and salsa verde |
| Appellation | Marlborough |
2019 Te Awanga Estate 'Wildsong' Organic Pinot Gris
Regular price £17.99Pear, lychee and quince, muddled with loquat, almond and nectarine. An attractive textured palate with a balanced, dry finish that suits drinking chilled on its own or served alongside pretty much anything.
Viticulture
Our Maraekakaho Vineyard is planted on an ancient river terrace that was formed by the Ngaruroro River which now flows around 60 meters below the vineyard. With its headwaters in the Kaweka Ranges to the west of Hawkes Bay, the river has created the landscapes through glacial melts, floods and droughts over the last few hundred thousand years. The old terraces that remain are made up of greywacke (a compressed sandstone) boulders and gravels from the ranges, and a topsoil borne of windblown loess, volcanic ash and humus created by ancient forests and vegetation.
The arrival of the New Year brought with it the long, hot, sunny summer days with moderate-cool nights for perfect ripening conditions, whilst preserving fresh acidity. Superb harvest climatic conditions provided the luxury of optimal picking decisions not hurried by the threat of rain. The result is an outstanding year for our Hawke’s Bay wines. Yields are slightly down, but with exceptional quality across all varieties. Full flavour and tannin ripeness in reds, with moderate alcohol levels. Acid retention and exciting flavour spectrums in whites.
Vinification
The grapes were gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel to maximise fruit intensity. Four to eight months on yeast lees helped create a rich palate and complexity.
Producer
Te Awanga Estate is a family owned wine business. It was borne out of a love of making wine and of the place we call home, Hawke’s Bay. In 2006 we began searching out great vineyard sites that would eventually supply the grapes to make the great wines of the future. We have an enduring purpose: to grow, harvest and craft world class wines. And smile while doing it.
Specifications
| Year | 2019 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Gris |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Alcohol content | 13% alc vol |
| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.8 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | For immediate enjoyment |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Dietary Information | Organic, Vegetarian & Vegan |
| Food Matches |
Spicy Food, Chicken, Fish, Veal, Creamy Sauces |
| Appellation | Hawkes Bay |
2022 Tiki Single Vineyard Pinot Gris, North Canterbury
Regular price £16.99Colour
A delicate, pale gold with hints of pink from the variety's skin colour.
Nose
A delightfully ripe and fragrant wine showing stonefruit, pear and floral aromas.
Palate
Finishing long and comforting, this wine combines complex fruit flavours with a balance of acidity.
Vintage
The 2022 Vintage in Waipara, North Canterbury was notable for the changeable weather, as was the case throughout several of the wine regions around New Zealand. On par with previous years, we did see a higher than average number of small rain events towards the end of the growing season. Our Pinot Gris this year is rich in the traditional flavours this Tiki Single Vineyard wine has become known for.T
Winemaking
The fruit was harvested at maximum flavour as determined by frequent tasting in the vineyard. It was then very gently pressed to avoid harsh phenolic extraction and the juice allowed to cold settle. The clear juice was fermented at low temperatures using yeasts renowned for their ability to enhance Pinot Gris aromas and to add complexity by the addition of fermentation esters. A small amount of residual sugar was left in the wine to complement the palate weight and structure.
Awards
"Offering terrific fruit purity and fragrance, the bouquet shows honeydew melon, Nashi pear, lemon peel and white floral aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and youthful fruit intensity, beautifully complemented by rounded texture and vibrant acidity." 5 Stars Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2022
- 16.5/20 - Jancis Robinson
- 92 POINTS - Cameron Douglas, Aug 2022
- RECOMMENDED - Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review, Sept 2022
- SILVER - dish Magazine Pinot Gris Tasting Panel, Mar 2023
- 90 POINTS - NZ Wine Rater, Jan 2023
- COMMENDED - International Wine Challenge 2023 (IWC), May 2023
Alan's Personal Tasting Notes
"This is pure class. Beautiful ripe tropical fruit flavours balanced by lovely fresh acidity. Add in layers of complexity, delicious textural mouthfeel, exceptional balance and a long long finish gives a perfect glass of white. Single vineyard Pinot Gris (not Grigio) from North Canterbury shows that it’s not all about Marlborough Sauv Blanc around these beautiful islands. Really proud to be representing these pure, sustainable wines in this country." August 2024
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | 100% Pinot Gris |
| Country | New Zealand |
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Alcohol content
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12.5% alc vol
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| Units of alcohol per bottle | 9.38 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Cellaring Potential | 2022/25 - will continue to develop for a further 5 years. |
| Allergen Information | Contains Sulphites |
| Food Matches | Pair with a delicious Asian curry - fantastic with a Thai green chicken or seafood curry. |
| Appellation | Waipara Valley, North Canterbury |
