Welcome to Splurge Saturday, where we take a break from bottles under $10 to step out and up, in search of exciting new bottles of wine to enjoy on special occasions (or just for fun!)

If there is a wine that put Italian Pinot Grigio on the map, it’s undoubtedly Santa Marghertia.  While at the time of it’s introduction, Santa Margherita was an unknown brand, it quickly became one of the United States favorite examples of the Pinot Grigio above $15.  Pinto Grigio’s are of course always meant to be crisp and refreshing, so how does Santa Margherita stand out, and do so well after all these years?

Sight: Very light, but with hints of gold.

Smell: Delicious cantaloupe and honeydew envelopes the nose, while apple and peaches mingle in the background.  Hints of minerality through out.

Sip: The start is almost like cool water with cantaloupe flavor mixed in.  Slowly the cantaloupe builds with plenty of crisp lemon.  Incredibly smooth and balanced, with a light body, and low-moderate acid. [A.B.V. 12.5%]

Savor: Touches of sea salt and wet stone return on the finish, but play back up to lemon zest.

Overall, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio manages to do something amazing.  It takes a punchy wine experience, and it keeps the balance of fruit, sweet, acid, and the natural flavors of the earth where the wine originated.  Pinot Grigio has a reputation for being an inoffensive, easy to drink wine, and while that certainly is the case, Santa Margherita manages to embrace this and avoid it.  While it is easy to drink, it’s also exciting, filled with racy acid, and plenty of complexity.

A must try for lovers of Pinot Grigio!

Price: $21.99
Fossalta Di Portogruaro, Italy
http://www.santamargherita.us/