The Good Wine Guru » Pinot Grigio

Fisheye Pinot Grigio 2011

George — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:00:20 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: South Eastern Australia
Cost: $7 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Light bodied with ripe peach and tropical fruit flavors. Pairs well with Korean BBQ ribs with spicy tofu soup, Teriyaki chicken with a side of pork or vegetable potstickers. An excellent wine to enjoy with our without food.

My Review: I’m somewhat hit or miss on Pinot Grigio, so when some samples showed up and there was a bottle of Pinot Grigio included I’ll admit that I hesitated. However, when the tasting notes recommended potstickers, my wife pointed out that we had some chicken potstickers that we’d been putting off cooking up and that at the very least we’d have something to pair the wine with, so that’s just what we did.

The wine had a bit more color in the glass than I was really expecting, and on the nose I got the expected notes of tropical fruit and citrus with just a touch of banana. In the mouth the wine was light and the tropical fruit and citrus carried over, and again I got notes of banana that I actually found rather enjoyable. I dislike the taste of “fake” banana and so any time banana flavor crops up I’m usually wary, but in this case it was great.

Paired with some chicken and vegetable potstickers with some white rice it was a good counter point to the meal and was surprisingly enjoyable even without the food. Now don’t get me wrong, this wine isn’t revolutionary, but for a budget white wine I was impressed with it, and I do like that it’s also available in an Octavin Home Wine Bar for those that really enjoy it and want it in larger quantities.

Barone Fini Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:00:44 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Italy
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: A reasonably priced white wine with a crisp, clean taste. With its subtle fruit flavors, this wine can be enjoyed with rich holiday meals and allows your guests to enjoy the delicious tastes of the many flavors of the holidays.

My Review: I got this, along with a few other samples, right before the holidays but only just recently got a chance to get into them. It’s been a hectic beginning to 2012. That being said, because of the hectic nature of the start of my year, some wine has been called for and my wife and I recently popped open this bottle to go with some chicken.

When I was first getting into wine a crisp Italian Pinot Grigio was one of my go-to white wines. They tended to be approachable and weren’t overly sweet or overly complex for my developing palate. As my tastes evolved I moved away from how much of it I drank, not because I found them distasteful but because I was A) busy experimenting with other grapes, and B) I found I appreciated a bit more complexity to my wines. With that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2010 Barone Fini Pinot Grigio.

Now make no mistake, there was plenty of crisp citrus notes on this wine, which was to be expected. What I found so enjoyable was this overarching taste and sensation of green that the wine gave off. You can call it cut grass or whatever you like, but at the end of the day “green” is the best descriptor I can come up with and it was great.

The wine was nice and refreshing thanks to the citrus on both the nose and on the palate, and was a nice counter note to the chicken my wife and I made which had a bit of spice to it thanks to the seasoning we used. Now I’m not going stand here and tell you that this is some life-changing wine that will inspire you to write poetry in praise of it because that would be foolish. I will, however, tell you that it’s a great value wine and that it certainly surprised me with more complexity than I was expecting when I put screw to cork and gave it a twist.

This should be a fairly easy wine to find in your local stores, but if for some reason you can’t, you can also follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

Big House “The Birdman” Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:13 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: California – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: It was another long and cool year in California and we were forced to wait patiently until these grapes were ready to pick. All this has guaranteed that The Birdman is once again a plump avian, round and full and quite unlike his Italian kin. Its depth shown through a long and full nose of citrus fruits, a round, soft palate replete with grapefruit, honeydew, and melon and a touch of acidity on the finish that leaves one quenched. Pairs well with goat cheese pancetta and arugula pizza, Thai chicken with basil, smoked trout, estoufee, grilled jumbo shrimp, spaghetti and clam sauce, or sunny afternoons.

My Review: It’s unfair to start any review of the current line-up of Big House wines by not pointing out how much I appreciate them having fun with their marketing and labels. With food we eat with our eyes before our mouths, but with wine sometimes an interesting label can make the difference between a purchase and a pass. Enough with the marketing talk, how about that wine?

On the nose of the wine I got citrus and melon, which was to be expected, and in the mouth the flavors carried through with the citrus leading into a soft, almost banana finish that was actually quite enjoyable. The wine was crisp, refreshing, and approachable, something that I’ve come to appreciate from the Big House wines. With our dinner it was another story.

My wife and I made a dinner of wheat pasta with chicken and a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. The dinner was tasty if simple. The wine did not compliment the food. It should be said that before and after, we loved the wine, and that this is more an issue of our pairing selection than the wines, but that’s part of life, and I would be remiss not to warn anybody buying this wine (which you should) to avoid a similar pairing as it was just a bit off, the flavors of the wine and the food clashing in a way that wasn’t enjoyable.

All that being said, we simply avoided drinking the wine while we finished up our dinner and then simply took the bottle into the other room to enjoy while watching some evening television, which is sometimes better than a food-pairing anyways.

Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

George — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:00:21 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: California – USA
Cost: $6

Winemaker’s Notes: Light-bodied, crisp white wine with aromas of pear, lemon, and honey.

My Review: While doing some grocery shopping with my wife recently, we walked down the wine aisle at our local store, as we are wont to do, and the line of Naked Grape wines caught my eye. Priced under $10, I thought I would give it a try if for no other reason than to see what the newest sub $10 wine tasted like

On the nose I picked up a little citrus and pear, while in the mouth I got citrus flavors of lemon on the front of the wine, with a hint of honey on the finish. My wife and I didn’t pair the wine with anything, simply opening the bottle to sip at one evening as we relaxed, but the hint of honey at the finish would definitely make something with some spice an interesting option.

As to whether it’s worth buying – you can do better for not much money, but to be honest you can do a lot worse. I don’t know that I can recommend rushing out to pick up a bottle, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive, simple wine, there are probably better options at your store for maybe only a dollar or two more.

Saying Goodbye to Summer

George — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:00:02 +0000

Well, the end of summer isn’t that far away, so when I was recently sent a mixed case of summer white wines, it seemed a shame to sit on them and try to go through them each individually as I would have quickly run out of summer by the time I was able to get to them all. With that in mind I invited some friends over, opened up all the wines, and tasted them all at once, because let’s be honest, that’s what summer’s really all about. Here’s what I thought.

The first one I tasted was the 2010 La Fiera Pinot Grigio (SRP $8). I got mostly apples on both the nose and the palate with a nice lingering finish with just the right amount of acid. There was a slight hint of sweetness to my palate, but for being the first one I tried, it was a good start and it’s a good value for these kinds of parties.

Next up were two from Tiamo. First was the Tiamo Prosecco (SRP $15) which had a hint of citrus on the nose with medium sized bubbles and a slight bit of yeast on the palate and a mix of crisp fruit. This was definitely not a super-dry Prosecco and it was quickly consumed by my friends.

The other was the 2010 Tiamo Pinot Grigio (SRP $12) which I found to have some citrus on the nose and apple and lime in the mouth. It was nice and crisp with just a hint of effervescence to me, a trait I find I enjoy this time of year.

From Argentina I had some Santa Julia wines, starting with the 2010 Santa Julia Pinot Grigio (SRP $10), which had notes of tropical fruit and banana, which I think added a hint of sweetness on the finish of the wine.

Next was the 2010 Santa Julia Innovacion Torrontes Pinot Grigio (SRP $11). This was actually a 1L bottle and is a Whole Foods Exclusive “Summer Top 10 Wine” and was certainly one I was interested to try given my growing enjoyment of Torrontes. I got notes of orange peel on the nose and floral notes in the mouth with a slight almost petrol note. For the price this is a good value and an interesting combination (90% Torrontes/10% Pinot Grigio) that I think I’d like to see more of.

Finally from Santa Julia was the 2011 Santa Julia Organica Chardonnay (SRP $11), which is made from 100% organically grown Chardonnay grapes. On the nose I got green apple and pineapple, with the pineapple carrying through to the palate. There was a nice finish to it that was at once both crisp and long tasting. This is a stainless steel wine for those that have an aversion to oaked Chardonnay (you know who you are).

The first of three Rieslings that I had was the 2009 Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling Classic (SRP $18) which had a nice minerality with peaches, grapefruit, and a nice crisp, dry finish. There was a subtle sweetness to this one, which at least to my palate was the driest of the three and one I’d be interested to pair with some spicy Thai food.

Next was the 2009 Heinz Eifel “Shine” Riesling (SRP $10) which was slightly sweeter than the previous Riesling and had flavors of green apple. I could still probably drink this one with the right meal, but again I’d want some kind of spicy Asian cuisine to go with it and cut through the sweetness.

The final Riesling was the 2010 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling (SRP $12). With an aroma of apple and honeysuckle, petrol, and some minerality in the mouth it was also the sweetest of the Rieslings and featured a lemon/sour note that wasn’t off-putting, but neither was it great.

Up next was the 2010 Biohof Pratsch Gruner Veltliner (SRP $14). This was probably my favorite wine of the night and is a great value considering the bottle was 1L. Made from organic grapes, there was apple on the nose and a fresh, tangy dry minerality in the mouth with just a touch of white pepper. I kept going back to this one all night and was sad to see it gone.

The 2010 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $12) was one I had actually seen in stores a few times but never picked up. Might have to now. Aromas of gooseberry an herbal note were nice, but on the palate I was really intrigued with this wine that was nice a dry with flavors of stone fruit and what was debated as being either nettles, tomato vines, or just “green”. Either way, I really liked this one.

The final wine of the night was the 2010 Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $16). Like the Fire Road, it was from New Zealand, and like the previous bottle it featured similar aromas with some grapefruit coming into the mix and some of the nettle/tomato vine/green. A touch of a mineral note on the palate was welcome as well.

All in all this was a great selection of wines. The Rieslings weren’t terrible, even though when I first received the wines I’ll admit I cringed at the sight of three German Rieslings – my memories of growing up in Germany tasting sickly sweet German Rieslings are hard to get over.

I really enjoyed the Gruner Veltliner, this being my first real experience with it, and the two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs had intriguing aromas and flavors that make me want to see if this is something about that particular vintage in the region or just something those winemakers were doing.

There’s not a single one of these wines that I would tell somebody to avoid like the plague, but if I had to pick one to buy it would be the Gruner Veltliner with the two Sauvignon Blancs closely following.

Graffigna Centenario Pinot Grigio Reserve 2010

George — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:38 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Argentina – San Juan
Cost: $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale straw in color with silver hues. Aromas of white flowers and citrus with a palate that is refreshing and balanced, with citrus notes and a crisp finish. Pairs well with white fish, assorted seafood dishes, Asian cuisine, and is a great apertif.

My Review: I was intrigued when I was offered this sample as, at least as far as I can remember, I’ve never had a Pinot Grigio from Argentina. One a Sunday relaxing with my wife we decided to open it up to go with our lunch.

In the glass the wine was a light yellow color and on the nose I got light citrus notes, though they were subtle. On the palate is where I found this wine to be really interesting. The front of the wine was more full bodied than I was expecting from a Pinot Grigio, and in fact reminded my wife of a Chardonnay. The middle ofthe wine had the citrus notes I was expecting, but around the finish I got some floral notes and a hint of sweetness that made me thing of a Virginia Viognier as much as anything.

Paired with a lunch of cheese (some basic cheddar, smoked gouda, and blue cheese), some spicy krab dip, and some sliced rosemary bread, it was a nice pairing. Especially when paired with the krab dip, the wine was a nice and refreshing note against a surprising amount of heat from the krab dip.

If Pinot Grigio is a grape that you’re either trying to get back into or are just looking for something different from the grape, the 2010 Graffigna Centenario Pinot Grigio Reserve is definitely worth checking out. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was something new, and that’s often better than what your expectations are.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:08:54 +0000

Varietal: 82% Pinot Grigio; 8% Pinot Blanc; 5% Sauvignon Blanc; 5% Gewurztraminer
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Note: An enticing aroma of fresh ripe pears with appealing peach, vanilla, and spice scents adding complexity. A pretty wine with a round, creamy palate and crisp entry, it has the typical tonic water, pear, and floral grassy notes that culminate into a lush, silk-textured finish inviting pairings with food. Enjoy with crab cakes, California sushi rolls, grilled chicken breasts, pasta primavera, or Caesar salad.

My Review: Some time ago I drank far more Pinto Grigio than I do now. Part of that had to do with my tastes leaning towards lighter wines than the more full-bodied ones I enjoy now, especially when it came to white wine. Because of that, it’s been some time since I’ve actively gone out and really decided to pick up a bottle of Pinot Grigio – not because I have anything really against it, but more because I tend to gravitate to other white wines first instead. When I received the sample of 2010 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio I was actually kinda excited as it gave me a chance to try a Pinot Grigio that I probably never would have bought on my own.

I had enjoyed the 2009 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc that arrived at the same time as this Pinot Grigio, so I was looking forward to the wine when my wife and I decided to open it up with some dinner last week, especially since it was a blended Pinot Grigio which I found to be intriguing.

On the nose I got peach and a hint of citrus and in the mouth the wine was light and crisp with a flavor that I had a hard time putting my finger on until I was glancing over the tasting notes again and had the “aha” moment when I saw tonic water listed. I don’t drink tonic water drinks so it didn’t quite jump out at me.

Paired with a dinner of grilled chicken basted with a honey-mustard mixture and some roasted red potatoes it wasn’t bad, but to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t stop comparing it to the Sauvignon Blanc I’d had a few days earlier and it just wasn’t as enjoyable to me.

While $11 isn’t a lot to pay for a wine that’s not patently terrible, I feel like that if you’re going to pick a light, crisp white wine from Robert Mondavi, for the price, you’d be better off with the Sauvignon Blanc. That being said, if you want to try this wine and it’s not available at your local store you can follow this link and have it shipped to your home or office.

FlipFlop Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:00:40 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: California – USA
Cost: $7 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Light-bodied, refreshing Pinot Grigio with tropical citrus, ripe pear, and a zesty, clean finish. Pairs well with bruschetta, spaghetti carbonara, or eggplant parmesan.

My Review: It’s been a while since I’ve had a Pinot Grigio, so when the sample pack of FlipFlop wines showed up, I was actually happy that one of the wines they sent me to try was the Pinot Grigio, along with the Pinot Noir and a Riesling (review to come later).

In the glass the wine was a light yellow color, and the nose was full of tropical and citrus notes, with just a hint of banana on the very end. In the mouth the wine had all the citrus and zest that one would expect from a Pinot Grigio, but again, that unexpected, but enjoyable, banana slipped in just at the finish – so subtle you’d think it was a ninja.

Paired with a dinner of pesto tilapia and roasted red pepper risotto, the citrus, zest, and hint of banana, was a counter note to the creaminess of the fish and risotto. For $7 it’s really hard to not recommend this wine, especially when it was at least as good as some $15 Pinot Grigio I’ve had, and certainly better than most I’ve had at that price point. While the wine should be available in stores soon, if it’s not, you can order directly from FlipFlop on their website (http://www.flipflopwines.com), and remember that for every bottle sold, Soles4Souls donates a pair of shoes to a child in need…so go and buy a couple of cases.

Conte Fini Pinot Grigio Valdadige 2009

George — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:00:10 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: Italy
Cost: $12

Pale straw color with aromas of pear and citrus that carry through to the palate with the addition of apple. Pairs well with seafood, appetizers, and cream-based pasta dishes.

Recommendations: Last night my wife and I decided we wanted some white wine to go with a dinner of mostly finger foods. Unfortunately we didn’t have any in the house (I realize this is becoming a trend). Running down to the store, we picked up a 6-pack of pumpkin beer for my wife, and a bottle of the 2009 Conte Fini Pinot Grigio for dinner.

We realized as we were buying the wine that it had been a really long time since we had bought or drank Pinot Grigio, partly because of typically drinking Sauvignon Blanc where we would normally choose Pinot Grigio. It was time to branch out.

The wine was nice and light, with aromas of pear and apple. In the mouth I got primarily apple, with a hint of pear on the finish. Paired with a dinner of bacon wrapped scallops and some crab puffs, it was light enough to not overwhelm the fish, and the acid did a nice job of cutting through the fat of the scallops.

While it’s certainly been a while since I’ve had any Pinot Grigio, last night reminded me of why I used to keep a couple of bottles of it on hand. The Conte Fini was a nice wine that I can definitely see myself picking up again for exactly this reason. One worth checking out if you’re like me and haven’t had Pinot Grigio in a while, or even if you have it almost every day.

Virginia Wine Expo 2010 in Review

George — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:00:09 +0000

Well, the 3rd Annual Virginia Wine Expo has come and gone. I found some new vineyards and visited some old favorites. Here’s the long and short of my experience.

Athena Vineyards (http://www.athenavineyards.com)
Athena Vineyards is worth going to just to check out their unique bottle designs. Owned by former nurses, Athena Vineyards offers a great deck wine in their Lighthouse White and a nice Meritage with a good pepper finish.

Potomac Point Winery (http://www.potomacpointwinery.com)
I’ll be the first to admit that I went to Potomac Point just to pick up a few bottles of their La Belle Vie 2008 for when the weather turns warm. This year they’ve introduced a La Belle Vie Rose that was enjoyable, but not as good as the original.

White Hall Vineyards (http://www.whitehallvineyards.com)
I’ve been to White Hall Vineyards before, and if you’re ever our in the Charlottesville area, I certainly recommend visiting them. While there weren’t any of their wines that I disliked, I came away with 3 bottles of their Cabernet Franc and 3 bottles of their Viognier.

Rosemont Vineyards (http://www.rosemontofvirginia.com)
Rosemont was the first vineyard I visited to give me some truly unique flavors. Their Vidal Blanc offered up a herb, mint finish that was new and refreshing. Their Meritage has a clove finish that I will admit reminded me a bit of high school.

Pollak Vineyards (http://www.pollakvineyards.com)
Lime in their Durant White reminded me of South American Sauvignon Blanc. Their Cabernet Franc had a more subtle pepper finish than many I had during the day, while their Cabernet Sauvignon offered a touch of eucalyptus.

Mountfair Vineyards (http://www.mountfair.com)
Most notable from Mountfair was their slightly effervescent Stickdog Riesling with a slight mineral finish. Fairly refreshing and one worth considering as the weather turns warm.

Blenheim Vineyards (http://www.blenheimvineyards.com)
I really enjoyed Blenheim, and while I didn’t dislike any of their wines, I enjoyed their Viognier and Cabernet Franc the most, bringing home two bottles of the Viognier and one of the Cab Franc. I already wish I had grabbed 3 bottles of each.

Tarara Winery (http://www.tarara.com)
I was really looking forward to Tarara, and was sadly sort of disappointed. I went there looking forward to their Long Bomb, and while I really enjoyed their Charval with a slight mineral finish and found their 2008 Cabernet Franc to be great, but their Long Bomb Edition 2 was a bit of a let down.

Lake Anna Winery (http://www.lawinery.com)
I’m a huge fan of Lake Anna, and while I went there to try and pick up their Spotsylvania Claret (3 bottles), I can’t help but recommend their Totally White and Totally Red as quality table wines. The Bellhaven Chardonnay is very refreshing and definitely worth considering as well.

Villa Appalaccia Winery (http://www.villaappalacia.com)
While I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I favor red wine for most occasions, I was blown away by the whites offered by Villa Appalaccia. Not to take away from a great Toscanello (a great blend of Cab Franc, Sangiovese, and Primitivo), their Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio Reserve, and Simpatico are worth buying. The Pinot Grigio is a great deck wine, and there’s not much seasfood that I wouldn’t pair the Reserve with.

First Colony Winery (http://www.firstcolonywinery.com)
The two most worth it to me were the Viognier with its light floral flavor and their Cabernet Franc with its combination bell pepper white pepper finish.

Grayhaven Winery (http://www.grayhavenwinery.com)
While certainly not the last winery that I visited, it was another one that I went to with a certain wine in mind. Just up the road from my home, this is a vineyard that I’ve visited several times for their great, homey tasting room. Their Cabernet Franc is always one to love, with a light color and great pepper finish. They have a Sauvignon Blanc that I have yet to taste, but as it’s always sold out I’m assuming it’s pretty good.

Vino Curioso (http://www.vinocurioso.com)
Three years ago I found Vino Curioso at the first Virginia Wine Expo. All these years later and I’m still in love with their Cabernet Franc (Franc the Tank) and their Cabernet Sauvignon (Snake’s Den). Another one that I’ve never tasted the Sauvignon Blanc of because they are perpetually sold out of it.

Jefferson Vineyards (http://www.jeffersonvineyards.com)
Like many of the vineyards at the Virginia Wine Expo, I hit up Jefferson Vineyards looking for a specific wine – their Petit Verdot – which they didn’t have. Granted, their Cabernet Franc was as good this year as it was last, but them not having their Petit Verdot available was a bit of a let down.

The 2010 Virginia Wine Expo was another roaring success, with great vineyards presenting great wine. If you’re in the Central Virginia area, or even if you’re not, and you’re not already planning to attend next year, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to not only learn about varietals that you might not get from California, but certainly ones that taste different than those you are used to.