by Margaux Sky

Created on: January 03, 2011

Italy is a romantic country with awesome landscapes, seductive language, bountiful colors and aromas, food for which to die, and wines that heighten the already overwhelming, memorable luck of visiting such grand terrain.

Known for producing spectacular red wines, Italy is also a top competitor in white wines. Italy has diverse weather throughout the country and the intensity or placating of the climate greatly affects the growing of the grapes. Grapes that used to be specific to a particular area in the world are now, with the ever-increasing opportunity to explore and create suitable environments, expanded into regions of the world one might least expect a certain grape for a particular wine to grow. The world has great wines to offer and always a front-runner in producing great wines in the past, Italy is still number one for producing some of the best and most sought after wines in the world.

Pinot Grigio has fast become one of the most popular Italian white wines. Crisp and dry yet fruity, it lingers with almond characters on the palate and is full-bodied with passive flavors and aromas of mango and honey. It is produced from the Pinot Gris grapes, meaning “pinecone” and “grey” in French. The name “Pinot” is gotten by its cluster formation resembling that of the shape of a pinecone. The color of the Pinot gris grapes fluctuates from a gray-blue grape to a brown-pink grape to black grapes and even white grapes. The clone of the Pinot gris grape is the Italian grape Pinot grigio and is specific to the Lombardy region around Oltrepo Pavese and in AltoAdige, Italy’s northern wine region. It is also notorious in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The Pinot grigio grape produces a wine that is now popular the world over. These wines vary in color as much as the grapes; golden hue, deep yellow to copper, and even light pink wines. The Pinot grigio grape is now grown in all parts of the world including Argentina, Australia, United States, Switzerland and more. Northeastern Italy produces some of the best Pinot Grigio on the market. There are a number of labels from which to choose. Pinot Grigio pairs well with pasta of any sort, especially pasta with garlic and olive oil and pasta primavera.

* Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio 2009 from Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy $25.99

* Attems Pinot Grigio, Italy $19.99

* Brandolini Pinto Grigio 2007 Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy $18.99

* Maso Canali Pinot Grigio from Trentino-Alto Adige,

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