Voga Pinot Grigio

October 16th, 2009 Sean Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio 1 Comment »

We eat with our eyes, and shop with them too. A lot of fuss has been made online about the shape of this bottle. Well the bottle is cute, and reminds me of VOSS Water from Norway, which if you like trends than this is right up your alley. However, I’m more interested in what is in the bottle, as you should be too. I had major issues with this wine, so much so that I had to pickup a second bottle and recruit two regular wine drinkers (thanks Dana & Lauren) to provide a second opinion.
Seeing as the bottle is very non-traditional, I was surprised to find a stopper in it. This was just the beginning of what was becoming an awkward experience. The next item at issue was the smell. Pinot Grigio is known for a subtle, slightly floral or citrus leaf scent. The key to that last sentence was the word ’subtle’. I was greeted by an aggressive burnt wood scent, which seemed to be competing with Lemon Pledge. My volunteer tasters both noted the strange aroma, and were somewhat baffled by it. Finally we tasted. The first sip was, shall we say…unpleasant. But, this is where things begun to change. The second and third sips improved to the point where the wine became enjoyable. To describe the first sip, we settled on comparing it to the aftertaste of eating a sour candy, which to some isn’t always a bad thing.

We are careful when we encounter a wine that doesn’t live up to our expectations, especially those receiving a lot of media attention, but this just isn’t a winner in our books. Especially for the price.

Your thoughts and comments on this wine are much appreciated!
Tip: chill well
At a Glance
Taste green apple, lemon, citric acid
Smell burnt wood, chemical
Food seafood
Sweetness off dry
Price $13.50
LCBO# 669226
Score
Voga Pinot Grigio
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Citra Pinot Grigio 2008

September 7th, 2009 Chuck Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

It’s good to keep a bottle of this value grigio from Abruzzo Italy in the fridge if you ever want a cold glass of white on a weekday evening.
On the plus side (or minus for some) this vintage weighs in at 13%
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste lemon, lime, golden apple
Smell lemon, mineral, golden apple
Food appetizers, brie
Sweetness dry
Price $7.95
LCBO# 17483
Score
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Trumpour’s Mill Pinot Gris 2006

September 20th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Canada, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

Newly available at the LCBO, The Grange of Price Edward has issued this very Canadian / New World pinot gris. This is a little more than I would usually be caught paying for a grigio but I wanted to be part of this wine’s grand entrance.
With a fairly rich and full mouthfeel, this white will go very well with a spicy Asian dish or takeout.
Tip: tulip glass
At a Glance
Taste tart apple, straw, citrus
Smell golden apple, apricot, peach
Food spicy asian
Sweetness off dry
Price $17.00
LCBO# 69336
Score
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Fetzer Valley Oaks Pinot Grigio 2007

June 19th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Pinot Grigio, USA 2 Comments »

If you’re a die hard fan of the extra crisp and acidic Italian pinot grigios out there, be prepared when you try out this fruit-forward Californian.
This vintage was definitely fun to drink with much of our time spent noses in glass.
Tip: serve chilled
At a Glance
Taste pear, grapefruit, apple
Smell pear, apple, orange spice
Food ham, butternut squash
Sweetness off dry
Price $12.05
LCBO# 34041
Score
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio Trentino Riserva 2005

February 24th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

Thankfully, this golden straw, off dry grigio put me back into the pinot spirit after my last attempt at it.
Here is a wine that tastes just like it smells and it’s good in both areas. A white that proved to be a crowd pleaser and gives you the chance to explain to people that the nice but unfamiliar taste is Mineral! Have a semi-snobby moment on us ;)
Tip: a good choice over the Santa Margherita & use a balloon glass
At a Glance
Taste minerals, lemon, subtle oak
Smell minerals, lemon, subtle oak
Food pasta with cream sauce, pork ribs
Price $15.85
LCBO# 32714
Score
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2006

February 24th, 2008 Chuck Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

Labeled as an LCBO essential, this dry, pale straw colored pinot grigio (otherwise referred to as pinot gris) threw me a curve ball.
I absolutely second guessed myself when writing notes about this wine due to all the attention it’s been receiving. I could not distinguish very many flavors and aromas from this wine and thought it to be a little bit indistinguishable. This was confirmed by our resident editor Sean who shared with me that this grigio had been excellent in past years but the 2006 was not a red letter year for them.
A couple years ago, people would have been happy to pay this price for a Santa Margherita, but I found this less than stellar harvest to be a bit too pricey. Surely coming as no surprise to the winery and dealers, I ask, shouldn’t the price follow the quality from year to year?
Tip: tulip glass worked best for this vintage
At a Glance
Taste golden apple, peach, lemon
Smell apple, peach
Food seafood or just as an aperitif
Sweetness dry
Price $16.85
LCBO# 106450
Score
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Argento Pinot Grigio 2007

January 23rd, 2008 Archive Posted in Argentina, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

From the winemaker bodegasesmeralda.com.ar
Argento Pinot Grigio 2007 has a light yellow colour with steely green hues. The nose is clean and fresh with intense citrus fruit. Fresh and easy-drinking, an enticing crisp attack leads to a medium palate of rich citrus and white stone fruit with a long and lingering finish.
Serving Temperature: 10 – 12º C
 
This wine has not been reviewed by nosnob.com
Feel free to Rate It if you’ve had the chance to taste this wine
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Deinhard Pinot Grigio Classic

January 22nd, 2008 Archive Posted in Germany, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

From the winemaker www.deinhard.com
Taste: Gracious fragrance, buttery, smoky, slightly exotic, earthy spice, sustained dryness, Pinot Gris with plenty of character from Baden.
Serving Suggestion: Perfect with seafood and boiled or steamed fish, pâtés and white meat.
$ 12.05
This wine has not been reviewed by nosnob.com
Feel free to Rate It if you’ve had the chance to taste this wine
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio 2006

January 22nd, 2008 Archive Posted in Italy, Pinot Grigio No Comments »

From the winemaker www.ruffino.com
Lumina is produced from grapes grown on Ruffino’s Borgo Conventi estate, as well as grapes coming from the Venezia Giulia area’s finest vineyards. This combination offers the wine both complexity and elegance. It merges the qualities of a very popular grape variety with the virtues of a historical vine-growing area, perfect for the production of fine quality white wines.
Lumina is a Pinot Grigio with a well recognizable personality. It’s medium-bodied structure and full aromas makes it stand out in the broad Pinot grigio category. This wine, which was first introduced in 2002, has in fact been so well received by consumers world-wide that its production has grown well beyond 1.000.000 bottles per year in only 4 years.
$ 13.10
This wine has not been reviewed by nosnob.com
Feel free to Rate It if you’ve had the chance to taste this wine
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Barefoot California Pinot Grigio

January 13th, 2008 Archive Posted in Pinot Grigio, USA No Comments »

From the wine maker http://www.barefootwine.com
Medium weight, crisp acidity. Green apple and White peach with citrus florals. A touch of effervescence.
Barefoot Pinot Grigio is perfect with poultry, seafood, fresh veggies, mild cheeses and Asian cuisine.
$10.00
This wine has not been reviewed by nosnob.com
Feel free to Rate It if you’ve had the chance to taste this wine
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say

Twin Fin Pinot Grigio 2006

January 11th, 2008 Archive Posted in Pinot Grigio, USA No Comments »

From the wine maker www.twinfinwines.com
Enjoy this wine in its youth! It is clean, crisp, fruit-driven, and has all the earmarks of a perfect quaffing white.
Twin Fin’s Pinot Grigio is food friendly too and will find delightful companionship fresh salads, seafood, or freshly shucked oysters.
Signature Recipe: Marinated Pork Medallions with Grainy Mustard and Rosemary Scented Sauce.
$12.95
This wine has not been reviewed by nosnob.com
Feel free to Rate It if you’ve had the chance to taste this wine
AddThis Social Bookmark Button Click here to have your say