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Wine Recommendation
Morgan Winery
2005 Pinot Gris, Franscioni Vineyard(Santa Lucia Highlands)
Dan Lee is nothing if not a perfectionist, and with this rendition of Pinot Gris he hits yet another top note of distinctiveness.
We all know that the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County has produced some of California’s finest Pinot Noirs of late, with Chardonnay also gaining wide acclaim. If this wine is any indication of what lies ahead for SLH, it’s an area to be reckoned with for Pinot Gris as well!
The wine is an utter miracle, resplendent with wild flowers, citrus, wild spices, hints of ginger and juniper, and a lush, rich finish that’s nonetheless dry. What’s at play here is not just the fact that Santa Lucia Highlands is a cool growing area, but the fact that afternoon winds that race down the Salinas Valley slow down sugar development and allow for greater accumulation of varietal intensity without the loss of acidity.
If Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is worth $25 (that’s what it normally sells for), then the Morgan is worth $50, since it’s at least twice the wine that the Italian is. At $18, it’s an absolute steal.
Reviewed July 25, 2006 by Dan Berger.
Other reviewed wines from Morgan Winery
The Wine
Winery: Morgan Winery |
The Reviewer
Dan Berger
Dan Berger has been reviewing wine for 30 years, always seeking character related to varietal type and regional identity. He has never used numbers to rank wine and doesn’t plan to start any time soon. He believes that weight and concentration aren’t the only worthy aspects of wine and is especially smitten by cool-climate and food-friendly wines that offer distinctiveness. |