Inaspettato Piacere Da Un Bel Vino Italiano

 or

“Unexpected pleasure from a lovely Italian Wine”

Terlato Pinot Grigio 2015 Friuli Colli Orientali DOC, Italy. 13% ABV, MSRP $24.99, currently $17.49 on UnCorked.Com;  Sample provided by Terlato Wines

Color is medium straw/pale sunlight with good clarity, while the nose offers delicate peach, honey and grass. Flavors of citrus, bosc pear, and white peach show on the front palate and pair with lovely, medium plus acidity on the top palate. A warm afterglow rises in the back palate with a moderate finish that offers hints of oak barreling and a series of strong mineral notes: marl, sandstone, and slate.

This wine pairs easily with lighter fare: a baked phyllo and cheese, brie and goat cheese on sesame crackers, and vegetable crudite with hummus and a yogurt & chive dip. It offers enough fruit and acidity to pair easily with any delicate flavors, and enough savory body to pair with sweeter elements like yellow pepper and cherry tomato, fish, or poultry.

For those who cringe at the words, “pinot grigio”, please, be strong and have heart. This is NOT the entry-level table wine peddled in restaurants for $8/glass and $8/bottle in the wine store  that offers you a “meh” experience. Instead, this is a delightful, qualified, historic and beautifully-made pinot grigio that will make you beg for more.

After opening and tasting this bottle (and being impressed with the flavors, balance and quality) I then served it blind to a group of wine-loving friends at a mixed tasting of white wines from Italy, Spain, and France. This was the hands-down popular favorite of the six wines poured that evening, and when I exposed that the wine was pinot grigio, each person showed a similar surprise. “It’s WHAT? Wow, this is a really great wine.”

In the end, isn’t that all we are really looking for?

à votre santé!

 

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