Vavasour Pinot Gris

The coq (ahem, rooster) on the label is the Vavasour family crest. Above it says “1986” – which is the year Peter Vavasour first planted vines in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley.

But the Vavasours’ history with Marlborough goes waaay back to the 1890s when they first landed there. In fact if you really dust off the history books you’ll find the Vavasours trace their ancestry back to the Norman invasion of England. They reckon one Vavasour ancestor was a wine taster for William the Conqueror. Serve up some bad wine and the bastard will have your head!

This latest 2026 vintage of Vavasour Pinot Gris is an absolutely top shelf 100%Awatere Valley Pinot Gris and dollar for dollar it’s hard to beat. It just won Double Gold at the NZ International Wine Show 2026 – meaning every senior judge awarded it a Gold medal score!

Winemaker Stu Marfell says “Intense and inviting. Nashi pear, crisp apple and spiced ginger, with hints of white blossom and peach. Vibrant and juicy. Rich and concentrated, balanced by refined acidity.”

Vavasour Pinot Gris is given several months in French oak for added texture and complexity and will pair superbly with Asian cuisine and white meats in rich sauces.