Sheild 2023 Pinot Gris, New Zealand

Sheild’s 2023 Pinot Gris starts with confidence—not in showmanship, but in clarity. Aromatics thread through quince, green pear, and a touch of brown pear. A whisper of white pepper rounds it, just enough to shift the flavor without echoing.

There’s a tactile precision here. The wine is medium-bodied, with a satin-smooth texture that comes from lees contact and neutral oak—no overt oak character, just underlying depth. That texture anchors the pear fruit, while zesty acidity keeps it fresh and dry.

What’s most striking is how distinctly Nelson speaks. It’s the sunniest region in New Zealand, and that early warmth—combined with cool nights—gives fruit that balances ripeness with brightness. You taste that in the wine’s structure: expressive, yet restrained.

This isn’t a Pinot Gris that laps you over the head with lushness. It unfolds steadily—first fruit, then texture, then minerality—so every sip offers progression. It’s the kind of bottle that feels honest: thoughtful without grandstanding, layered without heaviness.

Pour it with light pork or herb-roasted vegetables. It drinks now, but it holds, too—an understated wine with enough backbone to circle back to, room after glass.