Montevina Terra D'Oro Pinot Grigio(2006)

Harvest Information Appellation: Santa Barbara Date: September 2006 Brix: 24.4 T.A.: 0.78g/100ml pH: 3.25 Wine Information Alcohol: 13% Cases: 5000 Release Date: July 2007 Vineyard & Varietal Information Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris, is the grey grape of France. In the last decade Pinot Grigio has received massive popularity around the world. The varietal can turn out a wine of substantial structure and character with the verve to pair well with nearly any cuisine. Sunny, seaside, beautiful Santa Barbara County is a great match for Pinot Grigio. At our Los Alamos vineyard, located just read more...east of Highway 101 in the middle of Santa Barbara County, the combination of well drained, extremely sandy soils and steep hillside plantings stress the vines just enough to bring intense varietal character to the wine. This site also has the significant benefit of a marine influence, critical for Pinot Grigio. A long, cool growing season is essential for the wine to develop structure and crisp acidity to match the flavors and perfume of the fruit, while maintaining balance. Winemaking Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit is handled with the utmost of care. It is immediately sent to press for gentle processing, minimizing the potential extraction of unwanted astringency and color from the skin and seeds. The clean juice, bursting with Pinot Grigio essence goes immediately to fermentor. The Pinot Grigio is then fermented in stainless steel tanks at very low temperatures for over a month, to develop bright, clean fruit character. After fermentation the Pinot Grigio is blended with small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that were fermented with oak, helping to develop a richer, broader mouthfeel and more complex finish. Tasting Notes Terra d'Oro 2006 Pinot Grigio is a white wine with structure and complexity while maintaining bright fruit. The straw yellow color is appropriate for the clean creamy flavors of Meyer lemon. Aromas of fresh juicy pineapple develop into toasted coconut. Just a hint of French Oak leaves a lingering finish of graham cracker spice. Pop the cork for Meyer lemon cheesecake with coconut graham cracker crust.    (hide)