A grape by any other name

By Mark Henderson

In life you might question someone who goes by an alias, but in the world of grape varieties this is all very commonplace.

Pinot Gris is but one example.

Whether labelled as pinot grigio in Italy, grauburgunder and rulander in Germany and Austria (the former generally drier, the latter more often sweeter styles), pinot beurot in Burgundy or malvoisie in parts of France and Switzerland, it is still one and the same grape (I’ve probably neglected other local synonyms too).

It shows the broad reach of this ever-popular variety.

2020 Loveblock Marlborough Pinot Gris

Price RRP $21.99

Rating: Very Good to Excellent

Flitting between pear and white flowers, a wisp of cut herb and then hard candy too. There’s a boiled sweets note leading before the sweet fruits kick in, matched by a tangy character that gives this a little sweet-and- sour-like zestiness. This opens up, giving lovely clarity to the flavours, while the inherent tangy quality brings it to a crisp and refreshing close.

Read the full article here.

Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times (July 2021)