Dunnolly North Canterbury Te Pae 2025

Description

Apple, Dry, Pear

"It's delightfully fruited and elegantly fragrant on the nose with aromas of apricot, rockmelon, Asian pear, and subtle spices. It's succulent and fleshy in the mouth, delivering ripe fruit intensity with silky texture, well supported by finely pitched acidity, offering excellent drinking. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (75%) and Pinot Gris (25%), fermented in stainless steel, fresh acidity flushes through with juicy fruit, slightly mouth-filling, and lends a dry, spiced finish" Candice Chow, Wine Chat

Bright aromas of passionfruit, Granny Smith apple, fig and citrus lead into a palate that is rich and textural, with ripe apple, pear and citrus fruit flavours balanced by lengthy acidity.

After 30 years in the wine trade in the North Island, Peter Parish returned to North Canterbury, the region of his childhood home in 1995. With sheer determination and hard graft, he planted his first vineyard and launched Dunnolly Estate Wines, named after the family villa, Dunnolly. Today, daughter Nicky is the hands-on winemaker and her brother Matt, now an overseas winemaker, supports as an advisor and consultant.

Located on the East of New Zealand’s South Island, North Canterbury wines are renowned for their concentration and expressive qualities. The region’s combination of clay soils and diurnal temperature range brings purity to the fruit, producing wines which retain natural vibrancy and complexity.

2025 was another memorable vintage in North Canterbury. The long dry autumn and extended ripening period produced pristine fruit that was perfectly ripened. We harvested the Sauvignon Blanc for this wine on April 4 and the Pinot Gris on April 11, each variety selected for the aromatics and texture they bring to the final wine.

Grape were whole-bunch pressed to preserve purity and delicacy, fermentation was then carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks using carefully selected cultured yeasts to ensure a clean, consistent expression of fruit. The final wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (75%) and Pinot Gris (25%).

Food Pairing: Enjoy as an aperitif or alongside fresh seafood or a recipe with a little spice. I love to serve this with fresh grilled snapper, an aromatic curry or Tuna Poke bowl.