Hey, it’s hot out there. As if you hadn’t noticed. Which calls for a crisp, minerally, refreshing white wine as we wind down the day. We’ll leave the robust reds for a winter day and a hearty meat dish. So, what to pull from the cellar?
We selected an Italian Pinot Grigio. When you hear Pinot Grigio, you’re probably thinking of an uninspiring, mass-market wine that’s hardly worth the effort of unscrewing its metal cap. Such as many restaurants serve. But, a well-made Italian Pinot Grigio from the right region is an entirely different story; it should be aromatic, citrusy, refreshing, and have an interesting complexity.
- In the 1960s, the Santa Margherita winery created the category of vaguely aromatic, refreshing Italian Pinot Grigio, and it was a huge success in global markets. The company still produces an ocean of this decent, but often overpriced, wine. Other wineries soon followed the trend.
- In the New World and France, the same grape is known as Pinot Gris. Although some are made in the Italian style, such wines (particularly those from Alsace) tend to be fuller and spicier.
- A few tips on Pinot Grigio: it’s best consumed within two years of release, and it should be served cool, around 58 degrees.
We turned to the Colli Orientali DOC, which produces some of Italy’s finest, most interesting white wines. Colli Orientali is located in Northeast Italy’s Friuli region, where the vineyards are nestled in the foothills of the Austrian and Slovenian Alps. It has an ideal combination of climate and terroir that yields exceptional Pinot Grigio. This region became the birthplace of modern Italian white winemaking when a new generation of winemakers abandoned the traditional methods that yielded oxidized, low quality whites.
- Two other good regions for Pinot Grigio are Collio DOC, located adjacent to Colli Orientali, and Trentino - Alto Adige, where the wines can be particularly aromatic.
Our featured wine is a 2022 Terlato Friuli Colli Orientali DOC ($20 – 25 retail). We really liked this wine, and thought it was a good value. It’s 100 percent Pinot Grigio, dry, and medium bodied. This golden-colored wine has aromas of citrus, pear, and white flowers. On the palate, it’s well balanced, has an interesting complexity, and features notes of pear, citrus, and a crisp mineral finish. The wine spends four months on its lees (dead yeast cells), giving it a somewhat creamy texture.
- Terlato has an interesting history. It began in the 1930s as a wine importer and marketer, developing a wide portfolio of Italian wines, including Santa Margherita. As its expertise grew, it began purchasing vineyards, and in 2014 it purchased the property in Colli Orientali that produces its Pinot Grigio. The grapes are estate grown and hand harvested.
- The wine makes a great aperitif, perhaps with some Gruyère or Comté cheese. It pairs well with heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella, and with simple shellfish dishes or a planked salmon.
- Can’t find the Terlato? Another good producer is Shiopetto (Collio DOC).
Cheers!