Learn about a crisp, delicious Italian Pinot Griogio and the Veneto wine region where it was produced…

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2014

My Review:

Where did this stuff come from?

Veneto is a cooler region in the northern region of Italy known for popular wines such as Soave and the prestigious Amarone.  It sits in northeast Italy surrounding the “City of Canals”, Venice.  In map below, you can see how the land in this region varies widely from mountains to plains to coastal. As near as I can tell, the Pinot Grigio we’re tasting today comes from somewhere in the central plains of Veneto (highlighted in yellow).

 Because the mountain and plains zones are cooler, and have a large temperature difference between day and night, the grapes tend to ripen more slowly and create wines with higher acidity.  (Making them taste more “crisp”.)

For Pinot Griogio specifically (like the Allesandro Gailici in this tasting note) this area is known for crisp, acidic wines with minimal fruit profile and a more mineral taste.  In general, if you prefer a fruitier Pinot Grigio, you’re going to want to look for warmer regions like Tuscany, California, or Australia.

If you’re a fan of sparkling Prosecco, you’ll also be interested to know that the popular bubbly comes from this same corner of Italy… specifically from the Veneto, Fruili-Venezia Giula, and Trentino Alto Adige regions.

So, next time you see Veneto on the shelf, grab it and give it a try!