Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/44136
Some Outstanding Recent Releases Imports Barone Fini 2010 Pinot Grigio, Valdadige, Italy ($13)This is chock-full of fresh-mown hay, starfruit, citrus oil and green olive. The finish is high-toned and long, leading the food matching center of my brain to think of fresh sardines or anchovies sautéed in olive oil. W. J. DEUTSCH & SONS Villa del Borgo 2010 Pinot Grigio, Friuli, Italy ($12) With a nose of hibiscus flower and yellow peach followed by tastes of crème anglaise, lanoline and apricot, this Friulian femme fatale would breathe life into any social event. VIN DIVINO Domestic Castello Banfi 2010 San Angelo Pinot Grigio, Toscana, Italy ($15)These grapes bask under the Tuscan sun, a relatively warm climate for the varietal, maintaining natural acidity and minerality but yielding full, ripe flavors of white-flesh peaches and apricots along with nuances of tropical fruit. BANFI VINTNERS Zind Humbrecht 2009 Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes, Alsace, France ($23) This dry white is redolent of yellow pear and honey. On the palate this screams melon and ginger, the two swirling together until neither can be separately distinguished. THE SORTING TABLE Zind-Humbrecht 2008 Pinot Gris Rotenberg Grand Cru Sélection de Grains Nobles, Alsace, France ($150) Grapefruit and ripe peach lead to red cherry, lychee and caramel on a finish that's so monumental that I could swear I still taste it almost a week later. I realize that this one is not inexpensive, but damn, it's worth every penny. THE SORTING TABLE Envoy 2008 Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand ($36) Redolent of wild flowers and honey, this creamy, candied beauty emits clouds of ginger scent followed by a watermelon and citron finish. Simply breathtaking. BROADBENT SELECTIONS J 2010 Pinot Gris, California ($14)Starfruit-laden but lime peel and marzipan also make appearances, while sweet corn and lavender line the bright yet mellow finish. King Estate2010 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley ($16)King Estate is credited with bringing the Pinot Gris grape varietal into national conscious- ness in the U.S. This version is tangy and bright with grapefruit and lime accents that set off flavors of pear and almond. Milbrandt Vineyards 2010 Traditions Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley ($13) This hails from the Columbia Valley in Washington and is mostly about lime, lychee and fig with a hint of marzipan and honey on the generous, smooth finish. Easy going in both flavor and price. Seghesio 2010 Pinot Grigio, Russian River Valley ($20) This is a bit herbal but in a good way, with touches of basil and mint leading to healthy dollops of lime, grapefruit and white peach. The bright, clean finish resonates in the mouth for a full quarter-minute. Navarro Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley ($19) Honey and rose petal up-front, followed by grilled pineapple, orange and melon. Each smell and flavor is distinct. Each sip is divine. Graffigna 2010 Centenario Pinot Grigio Reserve, San Juan, Argentina ($11) A ton of green melon at first, then come waves of starfruit, fresh farmer's cheese and white pepper. The finish is all apricot and peach, high and long. PERNOD RICARD USA Weingut Kracher 2010 Pinot Gris, Burgenland, Austria ($18) This deeply flavored Pinot Gris bursts with grassy textures and honeyed end notes, a wonderful accompani- ment to a traditional Austrian beef consommé with noodles made from cut crêpes. VIN DIVINO october 201 1 / the tasting panel / 87