Wine Category:

At one point, Santa Margherita boasted itself as the single most imported Italian Pinot Grigio into the United States. I’m not sure if that’s still the case, but it’s still popular and easy to find. I first discovered this wine when I was living in Baltimore a few years ago. Over the years, it has proven to be a consistently good Pinot Grigio.

Appearance: The wine is translucent (clear and light).

Color: It has a light yellow coloring, much like straw.

Aroma: At first I detected apples, followed by a faint sense of other citrus aromas. After my second inhale, I picked up the slight fragrance of peaches and apricots.

Flavor: This is a light-bodied wine. At first, I was hit with an intense golden apple flavor, followed by a little citrus and a hint of pear before going into the clean, crisp finish. The finish was a little empty – it was extremely brief. I wish it would have lingered just a little longer, but this was still a pleasantly refreshing wine.

Drinkability Rating: I would drink this on a semi-monthly basis. It would be more frequent if it didn’t cost so much.

Pairs Well With: I read on the producer’s website that this wine makes an excellent aperitif because it primes the palate for food; I agree that Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is a perfect wine to serve with appetizers or before the first course. The wine also works well with fish, seafood, chicken, pork, salad and light pasta dishes.

Additional Comments: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is an excellent wine, but you need to be on the lookout for deals. I’ve seen it priced in wine stores anywhere from $18.00 to $27.00 per bottle. Personally, I wouldn’t pay more $20.00 retail for a bottle of this wine.

Happy sipping!

After dinner we decided to lay on the living room floor and watch Michael Clayton (read reviews of the movie in FlickRev). To go with our lounging and cinematic release, we had a bottle of Villa Conaro Prosecco Extra Dry.

For those of you who like the effervescent sensation of spumante, but do not like the heavy sweetness that comes with the bubbles, this is the bottle for you. This prosecco, which comes from Veneto, Italy, is a light straw-colored bubbly wine. My WTB and I had three or four flutes each and did not get the aftertaste or heavy feeling you get from most sparkling wines.

A sharp cheese and a baguette would be lovely partners for this delightful, moderately priced wine selection.  It also would make an excellent addition to a martini, giving a small amount of carbonation to lighten the drink.