The recent vintage of cool-climate pinot gris delivers fresh, bright wines perfect for drinking this summer, says MARY-THÉRÈSE BLAIR.

After a challenging couple of years for pinot gris in New Zealand we appear to have struck gold with the 2023 vintage. All except one of our top nine are from the 2023 vintage and that wine is Australian, so that’s that point proven. It’s no surprise that each of these top wines is from the cooler regions in the South Island and even our Aussie example is from Clare Valley, a region known for cool nighttime temperatures. So why does that matter? Cool climates equate to freshness. Regions where the temperature plummets at night after summer heat during the day means that the fruit doesn’t get overripe or jammy – ‘cooked’ as they say in the biz. The freshness of the fruit gets locked in and the levels of that all-important acid stay high. The end result is summed up in our top nine: bright, crisp wines that will deliver incredible drinkability this summer.