Recommendation: An unusual Pinot Grigio that’s a great value.
Winery/Producer: Andrea Visintini, Azienda Agricola Visintini; Corno di Rosazzo, Italy.
Grape Variety: Pinot Grigio.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Friuli Colli Orientali; Piedmont, Italy.
Vintage: 2012
Price: $14.40 (with a 10% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Medium soft Gouda cheese.
Tasting:
He said: Chilled before drinking. Pale orange/pink color. Ripe fruit and fresh mushrooms aromas. Tart ripe apple and honeydew melon taste that continues through a medium-length finish that has lots of mineral. Quite exotic Pinot Grigio…there was almost a slippery mouth-feel and hints of ginger that made it even more appetizing. Not a young, crisp Pinot Grigio, but a superb flavorful Italian wine that went perfectly with the Gouda cheese and was equally good on its own. An unusual Pinot Grigio that’s a great value…it’s a Quality wine and a Bargain price.
She said: Get ready for a shock from start to finish, but be consoled by the fact that the wine is GREAT. First off is the color. What do you expect from a Pinot Grigio? Surely not an apricot color, but that is what you first see. I questioned Ray, asking him if he had opened the right bottle. “Yes”, he assure me it is a Pinot Grigio. So I proceeded with the assumption that I know very little and can find lots of adventuresome wines when we get them from The Caviste Wine Shop. The aroma was immediately captivating with hints of smoke and a bit a fruitiness, but the mouth experience is what really grabbed me. Full of flavor, somewhat dry, with medium body, and a bit of creaminess, the wine was beguiling. At first I tasted a tartness but that almost disappeared as it warmed up and I detected none by the end of the tasting. The finish was relatively short and had a slight alcohol flip to it. The wine was delicious with the cheese but equally good as a sipping wine with no food at all. I recommend it as a bargain wine and would buy it again.
Comments: Learn more about the Azienda Agricola Visintini.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bar code: 8 58162 00472 1
Imported by: Piedmont Wine Imports; Durham, North Carolina.
Photo from Jay Murrie, Piedmont Wine Imports.