Kumeu River Pinot Gris 2009
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Robert
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Winemaker Notes
The aromas have typical peach and stone fruit notes tinged with the floral perfume expected 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 flavor. Pinot Gris is a variety that goes well with food, including intensely flavored dishes. It is also one of the few wine styles that can handle the spiciness of chili, so together with the sweet succulence of prawns, a nicely chilled bottle of Kumeu River Pinot Gris makes a spectacular combination.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Showing me the Pinot Gris during my visit was almost an after-thought, nonetheless Kumeu's 2009 Pinot Gris is a very good example of this varietal (not to mention very popular). Displaying moderate to intense apple, peach and pear aromas, there’s a pleasantly yeasty/spicy undercurrent. The medium bodied style is dry with a notable touch of sweetness (8.5 grams per liter), medium-high acid, a nice bit of viscosity and a long, refreshing finish.
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Wine Spectator
This is distinctive for its fragrant honeycomb note, framing the apple, citrus and pear flavors nicely. Graceful and juicy, finishing with a lemon curd tanginess.
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Wine Enthusiast
The Brajkovich family's 2009 Pinot Gris finds a fine balance between sweetness, acidity and alcohol, offering just enough of each. Melon flavors are tinged with almondskin and a lingering touch of musky spice on the finish. Fine on its own, or pair it with dishes that are slightly sweet (shrimp) or spicy.
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Founded in 1944 by Mick Brajkovich, wife Katé and son Maté, Kumeu River was one of the early pioneers in Auckland, New Zealand, that helped to establish its reputation as a world-class wine region. Still family owned and run, Kumeu River continues to pioneer new frontiers: winemaker Michael Brajkovich became New Zealand’s first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London, they have been testing and championing screw cap closures for close to 20 years and the winery has gone on to become the globally recognized benchmark for non-Burgundy produced Chardonnay. All Kumeu River wines are hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and demonstrate exclusive use of indigenous yeast fermentation.
The Chardonnays of Kumeu River have gained a strong foothold within the international market, continuously and consistently receiving outstanding accolades. The winery is a globally recognized benchmark for age-worthy Chardonnay outside of Burgundy.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
Grape-growers in the local subregions of Clevedon, Matakana and Waiheke Island, focusing on vineyard techniques to maximize quality, are producing very fine Bordeaux Blends from local grapes. Auckland is also an industrial area where winemakers can produce quality wines based on sourced grapes from neighboring regions.