17.5/20

2022 Astrolabe Sleepers Vineyard Kekerengu Coast Pinot Gris RRP $25.99

The Sleepers Vineyard at Kekerengu, on the coast south of Blenheim, is a beautiful site and Astrolabe is the only wine producer using grapes from here. Cool coastal breezes add vibrancy and freshness to the wine in the form of enhanced acidity that makes it taste zesty and lifted with citrusy depth of flavour. This is all nicely balanced by a nearly dry style with a hint of residual sugar adding weight and flesh to the wine which tastes dry. 

17.5/20

2022 Astrolabe Marlborough Pinot Gris RRP $25.99

Three different areas in Marlborough contribute grapes to this dry, fresh and light bodied wine, which has flavours of white stone fruit and pears adding depth and softness to the wine. Vineyards on the Wairau Plains, the south bank of the Awatere Valley and the Kekerengu Coast all contribute complexity to this wine, which benefits from the southern areas as they enhance acidity in this Pinot Gris; a grape that is characteristically low in acid but which thrives in cool climates for just that reason - the retention of acidity that adds a sense of freshness.