I was going to start my great Malbec tasting week today... but, I cannot in good conscience let lobster go to waste (I am from Maine after all....). So lunch and dinner are seafood and the blizzard drink of the day is this bottle of Pinot Grigio.
JPH makes an awesome Fish Pie, and this Pinot Grigio was a bright and fruity enough to pair with the shredded potato topped seafood goodness.(It also had the good fortune to be a cheap alternative to the only other bottle of white wine in the fridge - yes, I still choose my wine by color and then sticker price)
The Alto Adige region of Italy produced this fruity (pear/crisp apple) and dry (not sweet at all) Pinot Grigio. Alto Adige is in the northeast mountainous part of Italy, on the top left of the boot cuff, and was once a part of Austria. This wine really does share some characteristics with Austrian wine. From the winery of St. Michael, it may be DOC Italian but they identify their region as South Tyrol, and that is pretty close to Sound of Music territory to me (that is when I go running - I don't like my hills alive) I feel like when I drink it, I am tasting Austrian roots. This Pinot Grigio is clean, subdued and was a nice contrast to the richness of the seafood and potato yet it has substance and no real taste of ETOH (13.5% BTW) .
It is funny to me that if this wine is chilled (just from the fridge) it is crisp, snappy and bright. I went to check on the laundry, got sidetracked by my new and shiny Christmas present; when I got back to the kitchen, the wine had warmed, was fuller and the fruit taste was more subtle. Temperature really does affect wine. You could serve it at any temperature as far as I am concerned, you can't go wrong but I prefer it well chilled. It was great with the seafood but I can also imagine it as a light, bright Summer wine as well.
Speaking of Summer, well, today is opposite day.
Here is the patio at 3:30 in the afternoon on 12/26/2010.
Here is the patio at 3:30 in the afternoon on 12/26/2010.
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