The Good Wine Guru » castello di amorosa

2008 Castello di Amorosa Pinot Bianco

George — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:08 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Bianco
Region: California – Los Carneros – USA
Cost: $24

A light to medium-bodied wine with flavors of apple and grapefruit. Pair this wine with seafood, especially shellfish, Chinese food, picnic food, or just by itself.

Recommendations: Another gift from my parents, my wife and I enjoyed this after pairing a bottle of their Pinot Grigio with salmon. My first impressions of this wine were that it was a lighter version of the Pinot Grigio we had just enjoyed. That’s not to say that it didn’t have its own unique flavors, only that it was very reminiscent of the other wine.

While I didn’t get the grapefruit that Castello di Amorosa claims to be there, I certainly got the apple, and would agree that this wine would pair very well with seafood or just by itself on a warm day. I’m always in the market for wine that I can enjoy by itself, especially a white for hot Spring and Summer days, but for the price I feel like I could do better.

A good wine that’s worth it if you’re planning to pair it with something, but a bit pricey to be just a patio wine.

2008 Castello di Amorosa Pinot Grigio

George — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:22 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: California – Anderson Valley – USA
Cost: $20

Fruity with bright orange and melon aromas. Light, lemon and green apples on the palate end in a refreshing acid finish. Pairs with salads, melon, cheeses, seafood, or by itself.

Recommendations: I’m very hit or miss on Pinot Grigio, preferring Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for my white wine selections, but I did find this Pinot Grigio to be quite enjoyable. Purchased by my parents during our trip to California several weeks before and sent home with me, this bottle had been chilling in my refrigerator for a few days while I tried to select something to pair it with.

A meal of salmon and and roasted red potatoes was what my wife and I paired this white with, and it was a great compliment to the seafood and the well seasoned potatoes, the melon and apple flavors, along with the acid finish, cutting through the richness of the salmon.

While I still prefer my Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, I can say that I enjoyed this Pinot Grigio and would recommend it to anybody in the market for a quality one at a good price.