Winemaker Notes
Luminous peach and copper hue, with a reassuring, organic, light haze. Lifted floral aromas leap out of the glass along with orange rind and an earthy complexity. Lovely fine phenolics fill the mouth giving great weight and a moreish texture to the wine. Orange rind, Campari and Negroni like flavors follow. A great wine to accompany a variety of tapas-style foods.
Blend: 87% Pinot Gris, 7% Muscat, 4% Riesling, 2% Gewürztraminer
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
This 2020 Orange North Canterbury is richly aromatic, with the Muscat and Gewürztraminer really making their 7% share of the blend count. Seville orange marmalade and red grapefruit meet heady flowers and herbs in an almost Campari-like way. Full-bodied, approachable and welcoming, with refreshing acidity and an appealing bitter twist.
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Wine Enthusiast
The color of a flaming sunset, this orange wine, made from Pinot Gris, opens with hedonistic aromas of ginger, candied pineapple, nectarine and marmalade, backed by honeyed flower-blossom scents and the slightest mushroomy funk to remind you that we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto. The palate crackles and pops with tangy flavor. There’s a pithy, tannic tug on the tongue, mouthwatering acidity and a lengthy finish. Clean, ripe and fresh, this is just plain delicious.
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James Suckling
Cloudy orange color with a pretty nose of tangerine, grapefruit zest, apple blossom, chamomile and clove. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and a gently oily texture. Just a hint of tannin. Juicy and delicious.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Appearing something like a cloudy cross between rosé and amber, the 2020 Orange is a skin-fermented Pinot Gris, bottled unfined and unfiltered. It seems to change hue in the glass, moving toward orange as it takes on air. The skin contact (and small additions of Muscat and Gewürztraminer) has enhanced the aromas of the Pinot Gris, giving it Muscat-ish qualities—more citrus, florals and spice than Gris typically exhibits. Almost potpourri-like, actually. It's medium-bodied on the palate, slightly dusty and phenolic, but still very drinkable, with a lip-smacking finish and ample length. Intriguing and enjoyable.
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.
To learn more, see our Essential Pinot Grigio Guide.
On the central eastern coast of the South Island, Canterbury includes a collection of small and varied subregions. The region is cool and dry with low rainfall and light, infertile soils. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are well-suited here, with Pinot Gris coming in third place.