Pale gold with hint of green color; golden delicious apples, lemon, grapefruit, citrus, peach-pear, saline-minerality, white flowers on the nose and palate.
Dry; light-plus body; good acidity; creamy, rich in the mouth. Grapes hand-picked in the early morning from hillside vineyards. Fermented and aged on the less for eight months in stainless steel. No malolactic fermentation. The Colli Orientali del Friuli is generally recognized as one of the best regions for luxury pinot grigio. It is located in the northeastern corner of Italy and noted for its complex, mineral-rich soils, hillside vineyards, and confluence of mountains and sea, which reflect in its white wines, including this effort. The Friuli Colli Orientali DOC covers almost 5,000 acres in the province of Udine. 13% ABV
Terlato asserts it is the leading marketer of luxury wines in the United States. The website notes they market “more than 20 percent of wines over $20 and one out of 10 bottles of wine over $14 sold in America. According to Kantar Media, Terlato Wines accounts for 41 percent of all advertising dollars spent among Luxury Wine Brands—the leader in the category. The company represents more than 70 brands, covering the world’s finest wine regions, varietals and styles. The exceptional quality of the Terlato portfolio is underscored by more than 900 90+ reviews form leading wine publications since 2010 — more 90+ ratings than any wine company in the world.”
Terlato owns many wineries, but this effort is a partnership with Mazzoni Wines in Italy, a relationship that now spans two generations and more than 30 years. The Mazzoni website notes: “There’s a reason why Pinot Grigio has become a household name in the U.S.: it’s the ideal grape for producing crisp, fresh, and refreshing white wine with balanced alcohol and bright tropical and citrus fruit aromas and flavors. In Europe, wine lovers have known this for centuries. But in the U.S., it wasn’t until Anthony “Tony” Terlato—the patriarch of the Terlato family—first introduced a Pinot Grigio to American consumers in the late 1970s that the grape variety began to began to explode on the American wine scene.”
Terlato Vineyards Estate Bottled Pinot Grigio, Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC 2022 is fresh, balanced, smooth, rich and layered, with lifting acidity and minerality. It is complex and expressive of pinot grigio from one of the top pinot grigio regions on earth from a proven quality maker. If you imagine pinot grigio to be a wimpy, watery wine, this will set you straight. Works as an aperitif. Pair with light fish; shellfish; sushi; lemon-chicken piccata; white cheese chicken lasagna; pesto chicken; cheese pizza; risotto primavera; light seafood salads such as crab or shrimp/prawn salad; sushi; vegetarian fare. Cheese—versatile; fresh mozzarella, feta, gruyère, goat cheese, parmesan, humbolt fog. Pinot grigio’s subtle flavors can be overwhelmed by robust flavors, but its acidity and minerality play very well with simple cheeses and dishes. $21-24
Excellent YouTube video on Terlato-pinot grigio story
Mazzoni “Live Like an Italian” website, many entertaining features