Welcome to Wine 102, a deeper dive into some of the less common varietals you see on store shelves or restaurant wine lists.  Leading off is Pinot Gris.

All of the major white varietals have something going for them.  Riesling is aromatic and sometimes sweet, Sauvignon Blanc makes stunningly racy wines with lots of crisp green elements, and Chardonnay has a full body and wonderful ability to balance fruit and oak.  Pinot Grigio though?  It tends to be treated like a doormat, simple and welcoming.  There’s a lot of them too, and most of them are pretty innocuous.

Yet, Pinot Gris has so much more going for it than people typically give this wine credit for.  Not only can it create an innocuous, light, easy going wine with some pleasant fruit like those from California, but it can also make hair-triggered wines that racy, refreshing wines and packed with citrus like those in Friuli, Italy.  Similarly, it can make spicy, stone fruit loaded, medium bodied wines with a beautiful rich texture from Alsace, France.  With all this going on, it’s hard to pigeon hole Pinot Gris.

Quick Facts on Pinot Gris (Grigio):

Color: White
Style: Dry
Body:  Light to Medium
General Characteristics:  Medium to High Acidity (Italy), Lime, Lemon, Nectarine, Peach
Notable Regions:  California, Italy (Friuli), France (Alsace)

Given Italy’s propensity to produce great Pinot Grigio, especially from Friuli, how does Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio do as a demonstration?

Sight:  A pale straw with hints of gold

Smell:  Lime, green apple, and minerality start off, a little honeydew and hints of stone fruit get in.  The smell has a bit of wet stone too it, giving it a clean smell.

Sip: Incredibly bright, with strong hints of minerality leading the way.  Lemon, lime, and green apple come to the forefront with plenty of other citrus and stonefruit elements present, and the body is light and refreshing.  The mouthfeel is light, but slightly unbalanced at the start, and rounds out slowly, becoming a little less angular.

Savor: The ending is brief with plenty of citrus.

Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio isn’t your typical innocuous pinot grigio that shyly passes by, instead, it’s a full on, hardcore trip down the acidity highway.  The trip it should be noted is fantastic, and the balance of fruit and minerality makes the wine sparkle refreshingly.   The structure of the wine is aggressive, but makes it a nice pairing for food, especially lighter dishes and fish.  If you want a stunning example Pinot Grigio, Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio is a great choice.

Verdict:  Bright, Refreshing, Light, Lime, Minerality
Price: $5.99
Friuli, Italy DOC
Looking for another opinion?  Check out Drink Big Apple’s review!