The Forbes have been growing fruit for generations, they've won many accolades around the national wine show circuit and supplied grapes to Southcorp for some of Australia's most favourite and memorable vintages. In their quest to craft the essential expression of Australian Pinot Gris, they have collated parcels of hand picked grapes from the balmy, elevated, cool ripening climes of Adelaide Hills. Juicy and decidedly varietal, Zilzie is vibrant with crisp orchard fruit characters and a brisk minerality before finishing, intense, savoury and refreshingly dry.

Yealands Seaview Vineyard is exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough, high sunshine and billowing winds wind, cool nights and low rainfalls for a smaller, thicker skinned Pinot Gris of exciting intensity. Fruit from the relatively flat, coastal L6M block, provides a pure mineral elegance to the structural backbone. Parcels from E6 block, picked off a sheltered north facing slope, contributes luscious ripe pear and quince characters. A drier, food friendly style of alluring lychee appeal and charming spiced pear complexity.

Assembled and fashioned to the timeless restorative of Alsace varietals, albeit in an exhilerating new world style, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, are concurrently harvested, crushed and destemmed, a gentle pressing separates the free run juices into fermenters, the solids into a mix of 1000L oak oval tuns and 225L French barriques for natural vinification and course of textural lees stirring battonage. Brimming with lychees, mandarin and spiced ginger pear, its underlying textural richness makes Yealands a cinch alongside the perfect crackling pork roast.

Yalumba pioneered the viticulture and vinification of Viognier in Australia, sowing their first commercial Viognier plantings in the cooler, elevated aspects of Valley Eden. Sourced from a number of vineyards, the criteria for selection is a good measure of all the classic Viognier flavours and aromas, white flower and apricot perfumes, balanced by freshness and zest. A flavoursome fruit driven Viognier of stylishness and flair, aromatic fruit characters are supported by creamy mid palate richness and silky textural finish.

Many of Yalumba's most dedicated growers have been converting to organic viticulture for years, their hard work yields a quality of fruit with intense varietal characters. Choice parcels of Viognier are grown to environmentally sustainable techniques, fermented through indigenous yeast and little human intervention by the highly accomplished Yalumba team. All grapes selected are from sites which have been certified by the Soil Association of the UK and NASAA Australia as approved organic producers.

Back in 1980 when the Viognier grape was all but extinct, Yalumba began a journey which has made them the most influential producer of Viognier in the world. Yalumba began their love affair with this exotic Rhone varietal when they realized that the slightly elevated slopes of Eden Valley were ideal for aromatic whites. The site was to become Australia's first significant Viognier vineyard. After many vintages, Yalumba have determined that the best results are achieved when they intervene as little as possible in the fermentation and the ageing.

Sandro Mosele is one of Victoria's most eminent winemakers, a maestro of Mornington and craftsman behind the success of the highly prestigious Kooyong and Port Phillip estates. To Moselle, winemaking is as much a science as it is art, endeavouring to maintain the balance of ecosystem and respecting the divine nature of terroir. Moselle has an eye for the land, he's applied his efforts to the fruit of a picturesque, boutique vineyard located at Merricks on the Peninsula, an auspiciously positioned site which yields a singular quality of Pinot Gris.

Welcome to Block 2 of the Yabby Estate vineyard at Tuerong, the viticulture here is all about persistence and vigilance, coupled with a deep seated passion for making supreme wine. The combination of a warm site in a cool region means that Pinot Gris ripens in good order to produce wines of outstanding quality. Crop levels are carefully managed to produce the consumate Pinot Gris. Fruit is all hand picked, whole bunch pressed and wild yeast fermented, followed by a course of age on yeast lees to infuse textural palate richness.

When Wither Hills make wine, they place great emphasis on striking a balance, to ensure that palate and nose, texture and complexity, all make an equal contribution to the experience. It is to this end, that the talented team, turn to the most salubrious Wairau Valley vineyards for the pick of the Marlborough crop. The Pinot Gris of choice, to share around the patio, watching the sun go down, over a platter of tasty nibbles, to the accompaniement of merry repartee.

Cool balmy climes and close husbanding of vines are essential for splendid Pinot Gris wines which engage the palate while calling for cuisine. Pampered parcels of grey Pinot grapes are treated to a natural indigenous yeast ferment, a course of maturation on fluffy lees and term of age in fine French oak, bottled unfined for maximum sauvage. Steeped on skins for optimal uptake of the distinctive Gris blush, its comely copper hues and Anzac biscuit nose, precedes a food friendly palate of baked cloven pears and crunchy Granny Smith acidity.

Is it any wonder that this wine has slipped into McLaren Vale vernacular as Scrubby White? While the satiatingly mouthfilling mix of grapes may twist tongues, it also offers a rich array of fruit flavours, lead by a whoosh of refitalizing Adelaide Hills fruit, to inspire the most apathetic palate. Crisp, tantalizingly complex and delightfully fresh, Wirra Wirra complete the puzzle and give you something to ponder over a glass of judiciously chilled white, while you wrestle with the words Scrubby, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

The gently undulating terroirs of Adelaide Hills provide a magnificent mesoclime for the full development of luscious white varietal grapes. It is here amongst the ancient red gums of Woodside, that the viticultural team can prune and manage vines to yield small berries of ripe and juicy Pinot Gris, bursting with succulent flavours and the most delicious fruit esters. An intriguing blend of characters ranging from green pear to white peach, a subtle layering of texture that delivers all the aromaticness and complexity which make Pinot Gris such an engaging and topical style of food friendly white.

Waipara Hills made a name as Marlborough's best Gewurztraminer after romping home with the trophy for best entry at Liquorland International. Waipara Hill's low cropping Traminer vineyard produces fruit with intense aromas of rose petal, lychee and turkish delight. Stunningly fragrant and lusciously flavoured, completely unwooded, vivacious and fresh, medium bodied with a soft well rounded palate, exhibiting a rich oily texture, only slightly sweet but intense. An extremely limited production of only a few hundred cases makes every edition collectible.

The Nelson River region, at the top northwest corner of New zealand's South Island, is blessed by high sunshine hours which stimulate the vines into yielding the ripest fruit, followed by cool evenings which contribute a fresh natural acidity. One of the higher profile Nelson wineries, Waimea Estates has grown quickly in size and stature since its first vineyards were planted in 1993. From parcels of fruit grown to the stony alluvial soils of Waimea Plains, a pretty and stimulating Pinot Gris wine, endowed with varietal textures and brimming with Nelson River charm.

Some of the Chenin Blanc vines at Voyager Estate date back to the property's first planting in 1978. The fully mature blocks are treated to exacting viticultural practices, consistently producing some of the most superior quality fruit to be found anywhere in Margaret River. The team at Voyager aim to produce an easy drinking, aromatic Chenin Blanc that's not overly complex, in a sophisticated style which can retain and display the classic vibrant ripe varietal fruit flavours, complemented by a small amount of residual sugar.

Marlborough's Seddon Vineyard is a spectacular site, sheltered from the southern elements within a very warm mesoclime. Fruit is all hand picked throughout the chill of early morning and treated to a minimalist vinification to preserve the urgency of fully ripened Pinot Gris on the vine. Aromatic with pear, cinnamon and floral spice, finely textured and judiciously off dry, elegantly defined with exemplary balance between crisp acidity, textures and intensity of fruit, an engagingly compex, lingering finish.

Villa Maria possess the magic touch with Pinot Gris, regularly clearing international wine events of prestigious trophies. Private Bin has been included in the Decanter Top 50 Best Under £10 and identified as a Decanter favourite. Villa Maria retain the finest vineyards throughout New Zealand's grand expansive viticultural precincts, affording the team every opportunity to collate harvests at the zenith of flavour development. Exciting characters of lychee and pinenut, apples and melon, a crisp and racy acidity. Meet your Maria at a Trattoria, for an evening of gaiety, gorgonzola and Gris.

Villa Maria selects clones of Pinot Gris that produce lower yields with smaller bunches, which translates into more concentrated flavours. The viticulturists spend a great deal of time monitoring and adjusting the crop levels to make sure the vines are carrying the right amount of grapes. Low yields of two to three kilos per vine, timely leaf plucking and canopy management activities concentrate the flavours in the grapes. Although this leads to a smaller harvest, the emphasis is placed on quality not quantity, culminating in a fully opulent Pinot Gris wine.

Vavasour pioneered viticulture in the Awatere Valley, under the imposing presence of Tapuae-O-Uenuku. Vavasour’s vineyard is noteworthy for its wide diurnal temperature swings, it's the combination of soils and clime which shape the inimitable character of Vavasour wine. The refined elegance of their Pinot Gris shows why many others have followed the lead. Sweetly spiced on the nose and palate, yet pleasingly dry, soft savoury aromas are reflected by intensely concentrated flavours on the palate.

The history of Tyrrell is synonymous with Hunter Valley wines. Sustainable land management techniques and evolving standards of viticulture mean that the Tyrrell vineyards of today are yielding the highest quality fruit ever and that the wines have never been better. An unashamed crowd pleaser, Old Winery Traminer Riesling is made to a popular, fresh and fruity style. The distinctive flavours of two classic varietals combine well to create a wine that is delicious on its own and serves as a highly versatile accompaniment to a wide range of good foods.

The Murphys were among the first settlers to establish vineyards around Mildura. The family moved to Trentham Cliffs in 1960 and re-developed a site which was part of a larger sheep station, irrigated by the nearby Murray River. The first vintages were destined for fortified wines, as was the market demand of the time. Blocks were later planted to Pinot Gris, which performed brilliantly in the rich red loam over limestone soils. A crisp and fresh table wine, just lovely alongside garlic recipes or everyone's favourite chicken caesar.

Twice Gold Medal Challenge International du Vin! Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer grapes, grown to estate vineyards on the mountains of the Upper Penedes, form the backbone of fruit for Viña Esmeralda, a delicate but strunningly fragrant wine. The dry fig and raisin characters of Moscatel de Alejandría give Esmerelda it's luscious and flavourful palate, fleshed out by the orange of Frontignac or Moscatel de Grano Menudo as the Spanish say, further enhanced by the complex aromaticness and spice of the vivacious Traminer.

Rhône Valley grapes seem to flourish in the Barossa, enthused by sunny Mediterranean climes and stimulated by the cooling breezes off Gulf St Vincent. Torbreck retain access to the finest parcels of white Rhône varietals in the entire Valley. Woodcutter is fashioned to be dominated by a larger component of Roussanne, which provides the structure and length, Marsanne adds complexity, texture and palate richness. Viognier contributes pure, floral lift, finishing the wine with a measure of refinement and mark of elegance.

David Powell planted Viognier in 1994, with a view to emulating the great growths of Condrieu. Powell is enamoured of the beguiling Viognier, an essential component of his Shiraz flagships, it offers remarkable eloquence and great distinction when grown and crafted without compromise into a pure varietal wine. Only ever made in the finest vintage years and immediately recognizable as an exceptional wine, the white of choice to accompany Sauce au beurre blanc sur les poissons ou quenelles, garnitures à la financière ou quelque chose au pâte feuilletée.

Inspired by the lusciously rich, mineral scented dry whites of La Vallée Rhône, Torbreck have assembled the essential cépage of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne, sourced entirely from the distinguished Descendant Vineyard at Roennfeldt Road in Marananga. Five rows each of superior vine, set aside every year for the construct of full bodied whites to rival the classics of the old world. A seamless experience in silken texture, to accompany anything seafood, west coast marron or moreton bay bug, brewed mussels or deftly prepared abalone.

Marsanne was at the top of list when Dave Powell established his first vineyard at Marananga in 1994. He stylized his designs on the great Crus of Hermitage Blanc, mouthfilling wines of savouryness, elegance and beguiling balance. Parcels of Marsanne are picked by hand throughout the early hours of morning, pressed into the previous year's French oak Viognier barriques and treated to a wild indigenous yeast ferment on heavy gross lees, infusing the palate with distinctive pastoral richness. An amenable match to crackling pork and roast white meats.

Tim Adams can rely on harvests from Valley Clare's bravest vineyards to source the finest parcels of Pinot Gris. Rather than removing the distinctive grey tint of the grape's skin, Tim Adams chooses to retain this charming feature of Pinot Gris in the finished wine. Vinified from the complete pressings of fruit, the totality of which have made a remarkable contribution to a soundly structured Pinot Gris, the pinkish bronze hue sets the stage for an alluring nose, followed by a rich, robust palate and long, memorable finish.

The reputation of Jacob's Creek has been built around wines that are fruit-driven and elegant. Three Vines takes that a step further and ameliorates the fruity flavours of Australian wine with the savoury flavours of Southern Europe. Semillon offers crisp citrus and stoney flavours, combined with the lively tropical fruit of Sauvignon Blanc and the richness of Viognier, it delivers an easy drinking, fresh and fruity wine you will enjoy.

Thorn-Clark nurture some of the Eden Valley's best Pinot Gris vines. Barrel fermented, richer and fuller than most Pinot Gris, currently only produced in very small quantities, an extended period on lees has brought savouryness and round, mouth filling body.

Mostly a Marsanne Cuvee with a smaller proportion of Roussanne, the only white varietals allowed in France's northern Rhône appellations. Traditionally mated together, they produce a flavoursome white for those who like to experience a challenging and robust palate, preferably to the accompaniement of fine food.

New Zealanders can make other great wines apart from Sauvignon Blanc. Parcels of Pinot Gris collated from some of the finest Marlborough vineyards, trained to yield harvests of intensely flavoured fruit, are at the heart of Ta_Ku. The aim is to construct a fully engaging wine which can deliver a delectable experience in splendid quality Pinot Gris while treating the palate to an intimate taste of Marlborough. A match to mushroom risotto or a gourmande seafood caesar.

Valley Clare lends herself very well to aromatic white varietals such as Pinot Gris, by virtue of temperate climes and rich soils. Harvests from the Taylor's Victoria and Angela blocks are treated to a French style of vinification to achieve a fruit forward style with piquant complexity and cleanly drying finish that call for cuisine. Enjoy lightly chilled, whilst young and fresh, alongside walnut goats cheese flan garnished by lightly dressed rocquet.

Gewurztraminer grows beautifully along the rolling hillsides of Clare Valley. It is here that choice clones of Traminer have taken very well to the soils and climes that are so similar to growing conditions in Alsace, whence this piquantly flavoured varietal originates. Fashioned to express the bold flavours and vibrant aromas of fully ripe Gewurztraminer, while reflecting the pastoral charm and fragrant grace of the picturesque, undulating landscapes in Valley Clare.

Eighty Acres delivers fully in this splendid West Australian rendition of the classic dry white. Crafted to be enjoyed upon release, it's guaranteed to start the conversation rolling with it's stylishness. Superb with all good faire, the weight of fruit and generosity of palate ensures that Eighty Acres will make charming company for all.

In South Australia, the best sites for growing wine grapes were originally sold off in eighty acre lots. Bill Taylor planted his first eighty acres of vine to some of the best Terra rossa soils within the Clare Valley circa 1969, naming his original block the Eighty Acres.

The Valleys Yarra and Cotes du Rhone share a kinship in the realization of fleshy and invigorationg white wines styles. TarraWarra assemble parcels from two splendid rows each of the Rhonesque Rousanne, Viognier and Marsanne, harvested off a balmy north facing vineyard which enjoys excellent exposure to the afternoon sun. Vinified in the old world way and fashioned for optimal balance, structure and length, an exquisitely perfumed accord, characterised by the juicyness of honeysuckle, nettles and crisp mineral, made to match alongside white meat casseroles, mushrooms or fresh fried gujons.