Pinot Grigio at the Sailing Club
Though Pinot Grigio is one of those wines we take for granted as a refreshing quaff and nothing more, particularly in Michigan, they take it seriously these days.
Our old friends, Rod and Jo Schmidt, AWS Lakeshore Chapter Directors, invited us to a Pinot Grigio tasting. So we hopped in the car and headed out to the west coast (or, third coast if you’re a Michigander) to Coast Guard City USA. We were curious about the Pinot Grigio’s but mostly went to see old friends.
Pam Koeze led the tasting which started with Italy, France, Oregon and California and concluded with Michigan Pinot Grigio with a box wine finale. All of the wines were white Pinot Grigio from the 2021 vintage grown in the northern hemisphere. None were rosé or darker though some certainly had enough body to be mistaken for rosé if one’s eyes were closed. The tasting was not blind so, I’m not sure how objective my score and ratings might be but, across the board, all of the wines were delightful and some maybe even distinguished. The scores were not tabulated, so the ratings are mine alone.
2021 Barone Fini Pinot Grigio, Valdadige DOC ITALY $19.50 shows a fresh lively mélange of melon and mango with crisp citrus-like acid and good body. I was surprised that the abv was only 12.5%. It seems richer than that. A tad of minerality, steeliness seemed a little incongruent with the over all character. Maybe it is just a titch of leftover H2S from the fermentation. SILVER
2021 Famille Helfrich Pinot Gris, Vin d’Alsace AOP FRANCE $23.00 is what we used to call Tokay d’Alsace years ago. It was usually the most full bodied of the Alsace wines and this was no exception. Though the nose was not as forthcoming as I would have expected, the palate is greeted with a big fat rich mouth-feel and weight. White fruit essence like pear, yellow kiwi and even a bit of petrol combine for a rich complex texture throughout the long aftertaste. Like the Barone Fini, it seems like a lot more than 12.5% abv. It feels like it is just ready to burst open with a tad more age. GOLD
2021 Acrobat (by King Estate) Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley OREGON $20.00 showed the precise color of the grapes though very pale and bright, the hue was bronzish gray. The very long finish suggests that it may have had a bit more skin contact than some of the other wines we tasted. Some tasters found an unusual banana-like nuance. I found more of a lemon custard-like presence. It possesses both lip-coating and mouth-coating quality. SILVER+
2021 Noble Vines 152 Pinot Grigio, Monterey, CALIFORNIA $16 is about what we expect from Pinot Grigio; fresh, clean, correct, bright acidity, ideal with an ice cube on a hot day. Nothing more. BRONZE
2021 Fenn Valley Pinot Grigio, Lake Michigan Shore MICHIGAN $15.00 still had what winemakers refer to a fermentation nose. It usually goes away with a bit more time in the bottle or as the wine opens up, but many of the tasters found it to be a significant flaw. This is ironic because it was Doug Welsch (retired winemaker emeritus at Fenn Valley) who taught me how to avoid that scent in my own Pinot Grigo. Once one gets into the rich fruit, bright palate zing and complex layers of stony steely minerality, the fermentation smells disappear. I loved the drinkability and balance too. GOLD
2021 Black Star Farms ARCTUROS Pinot Gris, Old Mission Peninsula MICHIGAN $21.00 with a green Kiwi-like nose comes across as invitingly fresh, clean and melon-like. There is also an enjoyable green bitter herb-like component that runs through it. It is fine and complex. GOLD
2021 Shady Lane Cellars Pinot Gris, Hennessy Vineyard, Leelanau Peninsula MICHIGAN $22.00 single vineyard labeling tells you they take Pinot Gris seriously. The ripe mature straw color and tropical fruit nuance on the nose belies its young age. Smooth as silk, it has a nice perky mid-palate and finishes soft and fat. GOLD
2021 Bowers Harbor Vineyards Pinot Grigio MICHIGAN $20.00 defines the genre. Clean crisp, precise varietal character, perfect balance and super easy to enjoy. It is what we used to love in the restaurant business. We called it “disappearing wine” because it always called for a second glass. Nothing to study, nothing to overwhelm the senses, just good drinking. While some felt it was the best of the bunch, to me, it really doesn’t feature any outstanding characteristics other than “easy to drink”. Maybe SILVER is too low.
2021 Black Box Pinot Grigio CALIFORNIA $27.00 (equals four bottles worth) is the buy of the tasting and holds its own here. It is big supple and juicy. Though fatter and rounder than most, it still shows correct varietal flavor and a refreshing citrus blast. Nothing special, just a great quaff! SILVER
Certainly, Michigan has made a name for itself with Pinot Grigio. And, this is not a new trend. I remember way back when I judged the State Fair that Michigan Pinot Grigo was winning medals decades ago. It’s hard to go wrong with this variety.
Enjoy in Good Health,
A Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner
