Eating My Words, err Half of Them

The story: A couple of months ago I stated that Pinot Grigio is boring. My post was part grumpiness manifested, part exactly how I feel everytime I drink the stuff, and a pinch of feeling conflict about not letting people know about some of the less than stellar wine I encounter while writing this blog. Mix it all together and you got my post, which got a couple of readers frustrated. They weren't mad, just did not agree that Pinot Grigio is boring. One in particular challenged me to taste three wines of their chosing from the Trentino-Alto Adige/Suditrol region in Italy, arguing that I would come away excited about the fresh, crisp, aromatic whites that Pinot Grigio results in here. Naturally I agreed, never one to back down from a boozey challenge, and so the experiment was underway.

The wines showed up and were tasted, and the examples were:

Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Suditrol Alto Adige 2010 - Pale straw with a nose of apple, chalk, and a hint of sugar. The palate is of ripe green pears, rather juicy with a subtle minerality streak throughout. It feels a bit flabby on the end, is dry despite the sweetness on the nose, but leaves a pleasing fruity finish that lingers.

Valle Isarco Pinot Grigio Suditrol-Eisacktaler Alto Adige 2009 - A bit higher in alcohol, this juice appeared a bit more viscous and golden in the glass. The nose was quite fruity, apples, pears, orchard fruits, but came across a bit simple. The taste was of ripe golden apples up front, with a juicy transition to grapefruit zest and a rather intense minerality. The flavors were consistent and big in this bottle of PG.

Tramin 'Unterebner' Suditrol Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2009 - Also golden in color with apples and pears on the nose. This wine had a distinct sense of apple skins that added a pleasant dimension to the nose. A similar taste profile of apple juice blended with a deeper floral tone, and a consistent streak of bitter minerality to take the wine through the finish. This wine had a better sense of acid through the finish, suggesting it would taste great with an afternoon salad.

The verdict: These wines looked, smelled, and tasted rather consistent. I like this. It suggests a region that wants to maintain its sense of what to do with this grape. And I will admit, while none of these wines lit me on fire, I can not rightly call them boring. There is appeal here, there is a style here, there is connection to where the grapes are grown in these bottles. I will humble myself slightly to say that while I may not prefer the flavors that Pinot Grigio is bringing, when done with care, as these wines clearly are, it does not always produce a boring wine. If in the past you have thought yourself a bit of an Italian Pinot Grigio fan, I can without reservation suggest the wines of the Suditrol. Well priced (all under $23) nicely structured, and consistent with a sense of place I will eat half my words with a glass of any of these wines.

Disclaimer: These wines were provided as samples with intent to review.