A Venetian Pinot Grigio
This is my last 2008 ten dollar wine review...Venetian Pinot Grigio Label
I resolve to continue these reviews in 2009. I fully intend to return to my “regular” reviews of pricier French and German wines. My wine cabinet is filled with Australian wines that beg to be consumed and reviewed. This pleasurable activity may wait for the barbecue season that now seems so out of reach.
Italy is composed of twenty regions; each and every one is a wine producer. Veneto in the northeast is Italy’s third wine region in acreage and total wine production. It is home to some fine wines such as Amarone, hardly in the $10 range. Here I try the white Pinot Grigio grape, known as Pinot Gris outside of Italy. Wouldn’t it be great to finish this unfortunate year with a bargain? Here’s wishing you and yours a better 2009.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Cavit Collection Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie, 2007 12.2% alcohol about $9
Let’s start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw; light lemon-apple aroma and flavor; light-bodied with a clean finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve as an aperitif. The back label suggests pairing it with pasta, veal, chicken, or fresh seafood and to serve this wine cold. And now for my review.
I started by sipping this wine alone. It was light and pleasant tasting of apples. The first meal involved a smoked turkey thigh stew with potatoes and chickpeas. Its apple taste intensified when the wine met the food. It was surprisingly long. The wine’s acidity was somewhat untamed even if not that strong. The apples were green; both green colored and unripe. I added Turkish hot pepper spice called Harissa and the wine became sweeter. This Pinot Grigio was light, unobtrusive, and uni-dimensional and yet pleasant and refreshing.
The second meal was an omelet cooked with potatoes roasted in chicken fat. There was a delicious side of homemade oven-roasted eggplant with fresh lemon, salt, and garlic. The wine became somewhat feathery and almost sweet. It cut the potatoes’ grease well. The apples were no longer unripe. What a difference a day makes.
The final meal was a herb-seasoned commercially prepared barbequed chicken breast accompanied by buckwheat filled patties. Perhaps surprisingly the wine was somewhat flat. The apples were too green and the wine was overly acidic.
I finished the tasting with two cheeses. The first cheese was a yellow Cheddar. The wine was round and a tiny bit sweet. It was not very acidic. This was a good combo. Such was not the case with a Mozzarella made from partly skimmed milk. The Pinot Grigio soured and became harsh and yet flat.
Final verdict. Mixed feelings. Watch the pairings. I found this is definitely one of the better Pinot Grigios and would buy it again. But there are so many other wines to taste.
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 Italian 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
and http://www.wineinyourdiet.com
Visit his website devoted to Italian travel
www.travelitalytravel
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