Monday, July 13, 2009

MezzaCorona Dolomites Pinot Grigio, 2008

Now is the time to buy and drink your 2008 MezzaCorona Pinot Grigio. It's discounted to $6.99 at D&W Fresh Market in Michigan and undoubtedly in many other stores. And it's perfect for summer drinking on the deck or patio. The color of the 2008 is a light straw, and there are vibrant aromas and flavors of melon, peach, mint, basil and spring flowers. It's fresh, lively and elegantly stated with more complexity and interest than you'd expect from an inexpensive wine that's widely available. Although MezzaCorona is clearly a large production winery, all of the fruit for this wine comes from its own vineyards in the foothills of the Dolomiti mountains of northeastern Italy. The mountain air there is cool, and the wine is clearly aged in stainless steel to preseve the freshness and vitality. Why anyone would choose a Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay over this wine is beyond me.

My past encounters with MezzaCorona Pinot Grigio tell me that it's best to drink the youngest vintage available. By next winter, this wine will have lost some, although not all, of its charm.

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