A Tasmanian (Australia) Pinot Grigio

Not an inexpensive wine...

Ninth Island Pinot Grigio

Today’s wine comes from a little-known wine producing area of Down Under. While winemaking was popular in this island south of the mainland during the 60s (that’s the 1860s), it basically died out for almost a century. Now Tasmania is known for excellent sparkling wines. Kreglinger Wine Estates started out in Belgium, This family-owned operation prides itself on being the first registered company in Antwerp; that happened back in 1797. Some one hundred years later Kreglinger went to Australia, dealing in wool and sheepskins. At the turn of the millennium it purchased the Pipers Brook Winery, a major Tasmanian wine producer. The Kreglinger web site presents lots of information on the local climate, soil, and vineyard management. Starting from the home page click on The Vineyards and then The Vintner’s Diary, which presents the grape growing and winemaking calendar for Tasmania.. This wine is relatively expensive for a Pinot Grigio. Today’s companion wine is another Pinot Grigio; one coming from grapes grown in Sicily and vinified in central Italy.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Ninth Island Pinot Grigio, 2006, 13.8% alcohol about $19

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Description: Ninth Island is the easy drinking second label for Pipers Brook and is named after a small private island that lies in the Bass Strait across from the Pipers River wine region. Pinot Grigio thrives in the cool climat of northern Tasmania. This fresh and fruity wine is an excellent match for steamed mussels or lemon risotto. The aromas suggest pear, exotic fruits, and musk. It is a dry, richly textured, food-friendly wine.” And now for my review.

Ninth Island Winery

At the first sips this wine presented gripping, but not excessive acidity. It had good length and tasted of pears. My initial meal centered on a barbecued chicken breast in a tomato sauce. In response the Pinot Grigio was fragrant with fine lime and acidity. It was somewhat metallic – soft metallic, not the hard kind. Upon meeting a side of potato salad with sliced pickles the wine was steadfast and I noted some almonds. When paired with a cold artichoke this wine became a shadow of its former self but a lemon taste remained.

The next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna containing ricotta and mozzarella cheese and lots of grated parmesan cheese that I added to the mix. The wine tasted of oak, straw, and caramel. It had pleasant acidity but not a lot of fruit. With salted pistachios the Pinot Grigio was feathery and subtle.

My final meal centered on an omelet with sage, parsley, and mushrooms. The wine responded with great acidity and a light taste of oak. When paired with green beans in a sauce of crushed tomatoes it was round, thick, and slightly sweet.

For my first cheese I tried a Muenster. The Pinot Grigio’s response to this excessively bland cheese was balanced acidity. It was smoky and presented some pears. When paired with a tastier goat’s milk cheese covered in spicy bruschetta, the wine had good length and round acidity. The taste of pears remained.

Final verdict. I liked this wine and would buy it again. I can’t remember the last time I recommended a Pinot Grigio, certainly not one at this price. Believe me, not a drop of this fine liquid will go down the sink. Unfortunately the only Tasmanian wine presently available in my region is a $50 plus Chardonnay that many say is well worth the price. I might end up reviewing it in my upscale wine column.

Access the companion wine A $10 Pinot Grigio From Sicily

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine websites include    www.theworldwidewine.com    with a new weekly review of $10 wines and    http://www.wineinyourdiet.com devoted to the issues of wine, weight loss, and health.

Visit his sites devoted to touring Italy and Italian food
www.travelitalytravel.com    and    www.fooditalyfood.com

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