WTN: Grignolino!

[Dale Williams]

Last night Betsy made "tandoori" chicken (we don't actually have a tandoori oven, this was grilled) and an eggplant salad (with spinach, feta, peppers,etc). I thought about off-dry white (Riesling or Vouvray), but decided I wanted a lighter red with good acidity. I headed downstairs with Bourgeuil or Beaujolais on my mind, but spotted the 2004 G. Borgogno Grignolino d'Asti atop the drinking queue.

Bright fruit and bright acidity. Light and fresh, raspberry fruit with lots of flowers on the nose. Very light tannins, a little bit of peppery spice on the clean if-not-too-long finish. Not profound, but a very nice food-friendly wine. B/B+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[Agostino Berti]

YEAH GRIGNOLINO!! LONG LIVE LIGHT COLORED FOOD FRIENDLY (INEXPENSIVE) WINES!

Try a nice ALTO ADIGE SCHIAVA, it will give you the same kind of pleasure.

[Jenise]

LONG LIVE LIGHT COLORED FOOD FRIENDLY (INEXPENSIVE) WINES!

I'll second that. I find myself increasingly looking for that kind of wine.

[Agostino Berti]

I may have been wrong in that comparison. Grignolino and Schiava are both very light colored red wines, to the point that they are often mistaken as Rosè's. The difference is that for some reason, which I forget, Grignolino has a very high tannin content making it even more unmarketable.

Fortunately Piemotese people are very loyal and a lot of people there grew up on Grignolino so it shouldn'tdisappear as a grape variety any time soon. I'm surprised your defending it though Jenise since you wanted to wipe Pinot Blanc off the map. Pinot Blanc is not the most expressive grape, but its definitely good. I have felt the same way actually about Arneis. I've never had an Arneis that's given me a strong emotion. Have you? Its always seemed so neutral. On the other hand Pinot Blanc from Alto Adige has given me a Neutral but expressively peaceful experience.

[Dale Williams]

Agnostino,
I'm not Jenise, but hell I started the thread!
I've really admired the Giacosa Roero Arneis for several vintages. It's not the same as a top white Burgundy or Riesling- or a top Friulian Tocai! - but it's a very good wine. But prices seem to be creeping.

I don't ever recall having a Schiava, will try and locate.

Dale
PS You know, not every wine has to be serious. I can enjoy a Freisa , too!

[Agostino Berti]

Schiava is Alto Adige's premier indigenous grape. You must have had it! It goes under a lot of different names like St.Magdalener and a bunch of others which I forget. Another difference beteween Schiava and Grignolino is that Schiava is much more present in its respective region of Alto Adige. Very popular.
I've never had an Arneis that had much character. Can you describe what a good Arneis should smell and taste like, I would be curious? Besides lemony....

The only Piemontese white which I've had any luck with was a passito Favorita which was wonderful, honeyed, and great. But that happens everywhere, that is, taking a bland white grape, drying it, and it makes a good passito.
For instance, the Albana grape is bland, but apparently it makes a great passito.

[Steve Edmunds]

Try Timorasso from Walter Massa! Qualifies as one of the worlds' great white wines!

[Jenise]

I'm surprised your defending it though Jenise since you wanted to wipe Pinot Blanc off the map. Pinot Blanc is not the most expressive grape, but its definitely good. I have felt the same way actually about Arneis. I've never had an Arneis that's given me a strong emotion. Have you?

Agostino, if I only knew pinot blanc from Terlan or that Harkamp (Austrian) we had last week, I would never have questioned the grape's legitimacy. Those are wonderful wines. But warm climate versions...blech! They taste like tasteless chardonnays, I kid you not. Re Arneis, what Dale said.