Wine Review Monday

Try A New Wine - Part III

The Try A New Wine Series continues with white wine varietals. If you are a Pinot Grigio fan:

PINOT GRIGIO is the Italian name of this white grape and PINOT GRIS is the name of the same grape variety grown in other wine regions.

Italy and Alsace were the major producers of this wine, but in the early 1990's Oregon became a well known region for producing quality Pinot Gris. Italy's Pinot Grigio is a light to medium-bodied wine with high acidity and with citrus and green fruit flavors.

Flavors:
Citrus Fruits: lemon, grapefruit, tangerine
Green Fruits: green apple, pear
Tropical Fruits: melon

Wines to try: Pinot Gris, Gruener Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc

PINOT GRIS -- is the white clone of the red Pinot Noir grape. In French "gris" translates to grey, hence the Pinot Gris can sometimes have a color that is described as a bluish-grey. I have not yet seen that color Pinot Gris so I guess I need to buy and try more.

Flavors:
Fruit: lemon, apple, pear
Oak: vanilla, sweet wood, almond, smoke

Oregon's Pinot Gris is medium-bodied with a creamy quality. Wines from France/Alsace region produce full-bodied Pinot Gris with spicy tropical fruit flavors.

GRUENER VELTLINER -- is naturally high in acidity. It is very food-friendly and one of the few wines that will pair well with the two vegetables that are considered most difficult to pair with wine -- the artichoke and asparagus. So those who are vegan or vegetarian can now find a wine to enjoy with these difficult vegetables.

The naturally high acidity in a quality gruener veltliner gives it the potential for aging well.

Flavor Profile:
Fruits: citrus fruits and exotic tropical fruits
There is a natural characteristic of white pepper.

SAUVIGNON BLANC -- is a wine with flavors and aromas that are more vegetal or herbal than fruity. This popular varietal is produced in France, Austria, California, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, as well as many other regions around the globe. In California and Washington State you will find this wine labeled Fume Blanc. These regions produce quality wines each with a different flavor profile. There is one for every palate.

Depending on the climate, sauvignon blanc's flavors can be herbal and vegetal with aggressive grassy flavors or fruity with tropical fruit flavors.

Flavors:
Herbal: green pepper, straw, hay, green tea, green herbs, cut grass, meadow
If Oaked: melon, soft fig
Fruit: goosberry, grapefruit, peach, melon, apricot
Crisp acidity

If you have a favorite white wine different from these three please let us know what it is and what you like about it. We would love to hear from you.



Salute!
Winelady Cooks