Originally published on October 12, 2008.
Too many holidays over the last week. Distributors were closed on Thursday for Yom Kippur which meant they weren’t taking orders for Friday which meant I wasn’t able to get my order in for delivery before the weekend which means I am out of my usual Pinot Grigio! And what’s the primary grape variety people ask for by name (at least on holiday weekends when I see a lot of tourist traffic)….PINOT GRIGIO!!!
Sure, I have Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio, which is fantastic, but it has a lot more body and complexity than most people really want when they ask for Pinot Grigio by name. It doesn’t really count.
But never fear – I have a couple other substitutes I always point out – mainly the Valdesil Montenovo from Spain. It’s made from the Godello grape and has the same light citrus taste you’ll find in a Pinot Grigio, but with just a touch more body. Although it’s still a fairly neutral wine, it has more minerality and more personality than the run of the mill Pinot Grigio.