Villa Borghetti Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, 2007

Of three Pinot Grigios I bought recently at Trader Joe's (all less than $4/bottle), this is my favorite. After less than a year in the bottle, the color is still very light. It has pleasing fresh scents of lime, barely ripe pears and a hint of hazelnuts to give it a sense of seriousness. On the palate, it has some of the rich mouth feel of an Alsace Pinot Gris but with a crisp finish of fresh fruits and herbs. At this stage, it's a step up from most of the inexpensive Pinot Grigios on the market and a terrific buy at $4/bottle.