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Wine Recommendation
Terlato Family Vineyards
2005 Pinot Grigio(Russian River Valley)
Tony Terlato, the man who brought us Santa Margherita, America’s best selling Italian wine, now has a Californian version with his name on the label. While most folks who order Santa Margherita don’t even know (or care) that is a Pinot Grigio, folks who order this one will. It is a brilliant example of varietal expression.
Doug Fletcher, VP of Winemaking for the Terlato Group (formerly Paterno Imports) chose Russian River Valley as a source for Pinot Grigio. His logic is that as Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris) is a mutation of Pinot Noir it too should perform well in the appellation. The wine is made at the company’s Alderbrook Winery in Dry Creek Valley (the Napa wines in this new brand are made at Rutherford Hill Winery). 1800 cases were produced.
Pale, clear, straw yellow, and moderately viscous, the wine has aromas of lemon, hazelnut, biscotti (cantucci – the ones with toasted almonds), straw, and pine. Medium bodied with clean, fresh notes of hay and straw on the palate, the wine has moderate acidity and some pleasing creaminess from a combination of barrel fermentation, no malolactic fermentation, some lees stirring, and barrel aging. This is the second release and retails for $24.
Reviewed April 10, 2007 by Catherine Fallis.
Other reviewed wines from Terlato Family Vineyards
The Wine
Winery: Terlato Family Vineyards |
The Reviewer
Catherine Fallis
Founder and President of Planet Grape LLC, a company committed to bringing the joy of wine, food, and good living into the lives of everyday people, Catherine is creator of the “grape goddess guides to good living,” a series of books, television presentations, seminars, and e-learning programs. The fifth woman in the world to become a Master Sommelier, grape goddess Catherine Fallis is still very much down-to-earth. |