Wine for the Weekend of 2/28/20

Choosing Your Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is the Wine for the Weekend of 2/28/20. Specifically, the best places in Europe are so important to the wine. Pinot Grigio from other places like California are hit or miss. And, they are usually a miss including California wineries that make it in Italy. Chloe winery from California makes pinot grigio in Italy. But, it is just okay. I used it in a wine tasting recently with novices. They all thought it was just okay, me included. It lacked the strong fruit flavors and high acidity that the best pinot grigios possess. So thumbs down on that one. And, another bad pinot grigio is one of the most popular and expensive, Santa Margherita. There was a time that it was outstanding, but the demand increased. The winery could not grow enough grapes to keep up with demand. So, they purchased lesser quality grapes from other areas in Italy which drove the quality down. Stay away.

The Best Pinot Grigios

The best pinot grigios come from the following regions, areas or towns. In France, the best come from Alsace where they call it pinot gris. In Italy, they are Alto Adige (Sudtirol), Friuli Colli Orientali and Collio. Some have German names due to many border changes over the centuries. There are good pinot grigios from other areas of Italy, but you have to know which wineries are good and which to avoid. For example, Valdadige has some good wineries, but Santa Margherita is also there. And, SM is in Alto Adige for $30 per bottle for inferior wine in a clear bottle! The easiest way to ensure that you are buying excellent quality pinot grigio is to buy a dark colored bottle. Bottles can be clear or they can be dark green which costs the winery more, but it protects the wine from light. Light is one of the things that can destroy wine. Others, are heat and humidity. See below.

Aromas, Tastes and Pairings

The best pinot grigios are mineral driven with lemon, lime, pear, peach, nectarine, apple, almond, spice and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. They have bright acidity backed up by just enough weight. They are dry wines, but often mistaken for being sweet. That is because they are so fruity that you think they are sweet wines. Try it with Italian appetizers, fried fish, seafood and light sauces. Pinot grigio is the wine for the weekend of 2/28/20.

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