WHEN WE HOSTED OUR first-ever dish pinot noir panel 11 years ago it was for this very issue. Winter was creeping in, crockpots were being dusted off and electric blankets checked for dodgy wiring. Deer and duck were appearing on menus across the motu and daylight savings was a distant memory. Like now, it was well and truly pinot time. Time to slake our thirst for that beguiling mix of red fruits, exotic spices, lush, slippery textures and eyes-to-the-sky enjoyment of one of the hardest wines to describe, and one of the trickiest grapes to grow. But boy are we growing it! At almost 6,000ha it’s our second-most planted grape and every year our medal tally at international competitions keeps increasing. So judging by the whopping 23 gold medals awarded in this contest, we’re clearly mastering it. Our two first-equal wines were both from Martinborough, one of three subregions of the Wairarapa which contributes just a tiny percentage of the nations’ annual grape crush. They were also $60-odd a bottle. Clearly, gold medal examples of the ‘heartbreak grape’ are going to cost you, yet two of our top-ranked wines did weigh in under $30 so they represent outstanding value.
It might surprise younger fans that pinot also has a bit of Gen Z energy. “The first Kiwi pinot of any
