Pinot grigio has
not always been a go-to when it comes to white wines for me, but if I
am going to drink one I always turn to northeastern Italy, in
particular the Alto Adige wine region. Pinot grigio unfortunately
has been tarnished from the days of when high quantity, low quality
pinot grigio were being produced. It still happens today, but there
are plenty of producers that are doing it right and creating some
beautiful wines that one shouldn't be shying away from.
I
recently sampled Peter Zemmer's
pinot grigio coming from the Alto Adige wine region, also known as
the South Tyrol or suditrol. This winery has been producing wines
since 1928 and is today operated by Helmuth Zemmer. Based in the
small town of Cortina I thought their website put it best by stating
“the fascinating interplay between tradition and innovation,
man and the surroundings, sense and sensuality finds expression in
the passion and sensitivity with which Peter Zemmer brings his wines
to life.”
You may say that
some of the names I just mentioned don't sound very Italian. This
region, along with others regions of northern Italy, border other
countries including Austria and Switzerland, so you'll see a lot of
germanic influences. In addition to Italian spoke here, many also
speak other languages with German being a strong second language
choice. You'll also see these influences present in the architecture
and design of some of the homes and building along with the food
itself.
 |
| The South Tyrol by SouthTyrolean |
In the Alto Adige
region it provides a mild, cool climate for grape growing with both
the alpine climatic influences as well as those of the Mediterranean.
With the fluctuations in temperatures from day to night, this helps
create wines with vibrant acidity and aromatic wines.
The 2014 Peter
Zemmer Pinot Grigio has an aromatic, floral nose while on the palate
it's well
*This was a sample
provided to me by Creative
Palate Communications, but opinions are my own.
