I met Jules Taylor on a buyers' trip to New Zealand many (err...many) years back when she was making wines for Kim Crawford Wines. An MW Candidate at the time, I was in heaven learning all sorts of technical winemaking details from her. I didn't know then, but she was just about to launch full-time into her side winemaking project with her husband, George Elworthy. 

I met George in New York a few years after and have tasted the wines whenever I've had the chance. Every time I taste them - whatever the variety, I am in awe of their precision. 

While Jules is very serious about making wine, she firmly believes that once made, wine should be enjoyed rather than collected and sent to a dark, damp corner to gather dust. That seems like a balanced approach to me - as balanced as all of Jules' wines. 

N.B. Speaking of balance, all of Jules' white wines are certified vegan, gluten-free and sustainably produced.

91
Jules Taylor 2020 Pinot Gris Marlborough 13.5% $20
Bright and lively, this is a fire cracker of a Pinot Gris! It's also a bit of a minx. When I first tasted it, it seemed vaguely off dry. I put it aside to taste a few other Pinot Gris and came back to it later...and then, again the next day. The second and third times, it tasted dry. While containing not quite 4 g/L of residual sugar, there is a surprising, underlying richness of glycerol that contributes to that lightly sweet perception I sensed on the first go. (It turns out that Jules maintains higher solids levels during fermentation to enhance texture.) Bold in flavors yet highly disciplined on the palate, this wine is a perfectly balanced crescendo. It smells of guava, star fruit and even cherimoya. The palate adds a spicy kick alongside a honeysuckle note. There is good tension that neither seems to come from skin contact nor from obvious acidity (which is rather medium). There is a delightful je ne sais crois (...maybe it's the hand-harvested portion that was whole-bunch pressed into a wild yeast ferment in old barrels followed by full malolactic fermentation with lees stirring?) from start to finish and a whole lot of deliciousness here. Plus, this substantially over-delivers at an SRP of $20.

FYI: Half of this fruit comes from the Meadowbank vineyard in Taylor Pass with the rest hailing from two unirrigated vineyards in the Lower Wairau. 
Drink: 2021-24 

90
Jules Taylor 2020 Chardonnay Marlborough 14% $20
This comes from a single vineyard below the Wither Hills in the Taylor Pass sub-region of Marlborough. Even more so than with the Pinot Gris - it seems, there is a fascinating patchwork of vinification and aging techniques here that create a fascinating array of flavors and textures. An elegant Chardonnay on the nose and the palate, it is as equally focused on the fruit as on the savory elements. This is one of the inherent attributes that I love about NZ Chardonnay - the combo is electric! The concentration of fruit is copious and leads to a long, fresh finish. The wine has an enticing yeastiness that is pervasive, but its top notes are golden apple, poached pear, clove and yellow melon. It drenches the palate with flavor then lingers politely on the palate. Deeply delicious, this is another Jules wine that - to me - could easily demand a higher price point.
Drink: 2021-24