Ocean Eight Pinot Gris 2024 from Ocean Eight in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula is a cool‑climate, barrel‑fermented Gris that’s all about brightness, texture and serious food‑friendliness, rather than simple, fruity quaffing. This 2024 Ocean Eight Pinot Gris comes off low‑yielding sites in Tuerong and Red Hill, giving a concentrated yet tightly wound style that will only get better over the next few years.

In the glass you’re looking at elusive orange peel and fennel on the nose, followed by crisp pear, white peach and green apple on the palate, wrapped around piercing citrus and mineral acidity. Time in old French oak and eight months on lees build a gently oily, textural mid‑palate, while a hint of ginger spice and savoury bitterness keep the finish dry, tight and incredibly moreish. It’s a complex Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris 2024 that’s as much about line and length as it is about fruit.

Food‑wise, this is a weapon with Vietnamese BBQ, Thai dishes, lemongrass chicken, gingery stir‑fries and even sashimi, thanks to its acidity and phenolic grip standing up to herbs, spice and mild chilli. It will also shine with richer seafood like lobster rolls, fish and chips and creamy seafood pasta, making Ocean Eight Pinot Gris 2024 one of the most versatile, restaurant‑ready white wines you can have in the fridge.