Full Review

Benvolio

Benvolio
2023 Pinot Grigio, Friuli IGT

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Fish Shellfish

Category: Pinot Grigio

Date Tasted:
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
90 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$10
Best Buy

Benvolio
2023 Pinot Grigio, Friuli IGT

Pair this wine with:
Chicken Fish Shellfish

Category: Pinot Grigio

Date Tasted:
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 12.5%
Yellow straw color. Interesting aromas and flavors of melon balls with mint, baked nectarine, apple tart with powdered sugar, and coconut water with a silky, crisp, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, captivating, medium-long finish conveying notes of grilled apple, clementine and endive and lemon juice with no oak flavor. An intriguing and unique Pinot Grigio with beguiling fruit and smoky earth notes; this will be sensational with grilled seafood.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Crisp & Lively, Fruity, Juicy & Smooth, Funky, Old World, Non-Oaky & Savory
Aroma Aroma: melon balls with mint, baked nectarine, apple tart with powdered sugar, and coconut water
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of grilled apple, clementine and endive and lemon juice
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Grilled Sea Scallops, Grilled Fish with Lemon and Herbs, Chicken Fajitas
Bottom Line Bottom Line: An intriguing and unique Pinot Grigio with beguiling fruit and smoky earth notes; this will be sensational with grilled seafood.

The Producer

Crowded House

The Producer
425 Aviation Blvd
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
USA

Their Portfolio

Pinot Grigio

Wine Glass White.jpg
Serve in a White Wine Glass
Pinot Grigio – aka Pinot Gris – has become one of Italy’s most popular white wines in America. Popular to the point of Indian, Greek and even Spanish restaurants offering at least one version on their wine list.

Truth be told, while Pinot Grigio in Italy can be an excellent wine – though hardly great – the typical version has little to offer save for some faint aromas of apple, pear and dried flowers. As Pinot Grigio has become a commodity, there are now hundreds, perhaps thousands of producers across Italy (and even some in America) that produce a simple, uncomplicated version that has little complexity or weight on the palate- the ultimate summer sipper.

However, producers in cool climates such as Friuli, Alto Adige and Valle d’Aosta (where it is usually referred to as Pinot Gris) do make excellent version, generally from high elevation vineyards that have twenty or more years of age. These wines have plenty of spice as well as richness and offer impressive complexity. Pair these finer examples with vegetable or seafood risotto, lighter poultry or pork medallions.

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Best Buys for
Pinot Grigio

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93 POINTS
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12% $9.00.
Italy
Peller Estates 2022 Family Reserve, Pinot Grigio, Ontario
93 POINTS
Peller Estates 2022 Family Reserve, Pinot Grigio, Ontario
12% $10.00.
Canada
Ama Bene NV Pinot Grigio, Italy
93 POINTS
Ama Bene NV Pinot Grigio, Italy
12% $11.00.
Italy
Tar & Roses 2021 Pinot Grigio, King Valley
93 POINTS
Tar & Roses 2021 Pinot Grigio, King Valley
13.8% $14.99.
Australia
Wakefield 2022 Promised Land, Pinot Grigio, South Australia
92 POINTS
Wakefield 2022 Promised Land, Pinot Grigio, South Australia
13% $13.00.
Australia
Cupcake 2022 Pinot Grigio, Delle Venezie DOC
91 POINTS
Cupcake 2022 Pinot Grigio, Delle Venezie DOC
12.5% $13.00.
Italy
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90 POINTS
Benvolio 2023 Pinot Grigio, Friuli IGT
12.5% $10.00.
Italy
Rewild NV Pinot Grigio, Murray-Darling
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Rewild NV Pinot Grigio, Murray-Darling
12.5% $13.00.
Australia
Elementalist 2021 Pinot Grigio, Mendocino County
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12% $6.99.
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