Kellerei Bozen Pinot Grigio 2018

To be honest, Pinot Grigio isn't really high on my list. Some say it's too simple or too boring, and I think I tend to agree to some degree (or I just blame the many budget Pinot Grigio bottles I've had during the college days). I do think Pinot Grigio tends to be less complex compared to some other white wines like Chardonnay, but it still has a lot to offer. After all, it's the most popular white wine in Italy and also the most popular imported white wine in the US - there must be a reason for that, right?

Contrary to the belief that Pinot Grigio originated in Italy, the grape was actually born in Burgundy, France, where it's known as Pinot Gris. The word "Grigio" translates to "gray" in Italian. Not to be confused with Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio has bluish-violet skins compared to the white-skinned Pinot Blanc, though both are actually mutations of the Pinot Noir grape. Pinot Grigio/Gris wines are very particular to the regions they come from. For example, Italian Pinot Grigio wines from the northeastern Italian regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia tend to be light-bodied and zesty with citrus fruits. On the other hand, Pinot Gris wines from Alsace in France tend to be medium to full-bodied with characteristics of ripeness and spiciness.

The bottle of the Kellerei Bozen–Cantina Bolzano Pinot Grigio that I had a few nights ago is from Alto Adige – Südtirol, Italy's northernmost wine region. Most residents of this region, which borders Austria, speak both Italian and German, hence the reason for the name of the region Alto Adige – Südtirol. Many wineries have names in both languages ("winery" in Italian is "Cantina" and in German "Kellerei") and their labels can include the name of the grape variety in either language. Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige – Südtirol is generally refreshing and zesty, but the cooler temperatures and higher elevations of this region also drive the wine to become more complex as well. Alto Adige – Südtirol is one of Italy's top wine regions and produces some of the best Pinot Grigio wines.

My tasting notes on the Kellerei Bozen Pinot Grigio 2018, Alto Adige – Südtirol ($22):

• See: Yellow in color with golden hues.

• Sniff: Aromas of apple, pear, peach, apricot, and citrus fruits. The alcohol is quite strong on the nose (the wine is 13.5% ABV).

• Sip & Savor: It's a dry, light-bodied wine with full flavors of apple, peach, and apricot. It is zesty and crisp. It also has punchy acidity with a little spice on the mid-back palate. The taste of the alcohol is quite noticeable on the back-palate as well. The finish has some bitterness with notes of minerals. I split this wine over 2 nights and actually enjoyed it more on the second night. I thought it tasted richer with almond flavors on the back-palate, which I didn't get on the first night. I paired this wine with oven-baked salmon the first night and it was perfect with the dish, as the high acidity and the crispness of the wine cuts through the fishiness of salmon.

This wine is both straightforward (well, the high acidity is kind of in-your-face initially), but also has more complexity. For anybody looking for a good bottle of Pinot Grigio, make sure to avoid one of the mass-produced labels and try one from Italy's Alto Adige region instead!