Despite the vast multitude of Pinot Grigio’s available, one of the best selling examples in the country is the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. I never understood it, as the wine is bland, generic and grossly overpriced at about $20. People always ask me for an alternative and this is the perfect option. It’s a better wine, and it’s cheaper!
The 2010 Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio is a single vineyard pinot grigio, 100% stainless steel fermented, and is crisp, ripe, clean and perfect for sipping on the patio as Spring begins. The wine is pale golden in the glass and has a delicate nose of pears, lemon zest, citrus fruits, and flinty minerals. In the mouth, it’s got wonderful persistence to the fruit, the acids provide structure and balance and the finish is crisp with the lemon essence. The wine sees no oak aging at all, so the pureness of the fruit really shines through.
I love to pair this with Pesto, but it’s also great with lighter pasta, fish and chicken dishes. Perfect accompaniement to prosciutto and melon or as an aperitif. Best of all, it won’t set you back too badly either. About $15, 90 points.
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| 2010 Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio |
Regular retail mark-up (30%) on Santa Margherita P.G. in Kansas is $28.49! Can you believe that crap? And people buy it! WTF?!?!?!
That stuff is the Silver Oak of the white wine world…..
John, again I'm so happy to see that I agree on this with you, but I didn't disparage the Santa Margherita, I think I paid $18 or so for it, and found praise-worthiness as well, but since both were among the first white wines I'd tasted: I claim ignorance! :-0
Sorry John, it was $19.99 vs. the Banfi's $12.74, thus no comparison!
Yes, I think $20 is about the average for Santa Margherita, although like Bill, I've seen it for more too. Around here, that's when it really gets stupid. The Banfi is consistently priced, and a much better wine. Better winemaking, better pedigree.
Good wine this, I enjoyed it.
Very consistent Winedrop, thanks for the comments!