Wine of the Week 10/2/18

Di Lenardo Vineyards Pinot Grigio Ramato "Gossip"
Regularly $15.99/On sale for $13.96

This week’s white wine of the week is… orange?!  Copper might be a more accurate descriptor, as the name of this traditional style (dating at least as far back as the Republic of Venice!) literally translates as “coppered” or “auburn.”  This wine looks like a rosé, but process-wise, it’s the opposite.  Pinot Grigio grapes are left on the vine until the dusty rose-colored skins (that’s the “gris” part) darken, then they are hand-harvested and left in contact with the skins for 18 hours.  This give the wine not only its extraordinary color, but a complexity and structure you rarely see in any white wines in this price range.  The color is maintained by keeping the juice away from any oxygen, and the body is reinforced by extended lees contact.  Massimo Di Lenardo is a genius at taking traditional Friulian grapes and making wines at his solar-powerd winery that bat way above their price-points.  This is our most interesting Italian Pinot Grigio, and one of our best food-friendly white wines for the money from anywhere on the planet.  Lay in a case for the fall holidays; perfect with any meal, and makes a great host gift!