Episode 2 - Pinot Grigio

February 22, 2006

episode2

Pinot Grigio is an often over-looked wine. In this vlog entry, we take a look at 5 good Pinot Grigios and rank them in price/value order. Let us know what you think of the final score!

2004 Borgo Dei Vassalli Pinot Grigio

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

2004 Monteflor Velio Pinot Grigio

2004 Lorenzo Rive Di Giare Pinot Grigio

Feudi De Romans Pinot Grigio

23 Responses

  1. about 30 months ago

    emily

    i thought that was so much fun i have to say…you have great energy! actually got me excited to drink some pinot grigio-can’t wait for the warmer weather that’s usually when we drink it. and i def. will have to try the lorenzo sounded great. tks for the great tips, as a novice wine drinker i always go w/the name brands like santa marg but now that i hear the comparisons & esp. the prices i def. need to explore more.

    looking fwd to tom’s post!

  2. about 23 months ago

    Brandon M

    #2…hows that happen? There should be just as many commetns on these as there are on the new vlogs. I passed up Pinot Gris this weekend at Sterling and now I’m ashamed of myself!

    B

  3. about 23 months ago

    Brandon M

    I’m going back through and re-watching everything…forgot how much fun it is to watch them straight through.

    B

  4. about 23 months ago

    Mike F.

    I remember in the late 80’s as a neophyte wine enthusiast how everyone would agree that Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio was the move for any night out. It was featured prominently at the head of the white list, and I once saw it listed as the “Official drink of Brooklyn”. You couldn’t walk into a liquor store in the neighborhood without walking around cases of it stacked up to eye level.
    Well after having moved past that rut in my life, I’m looking forward to revisiting one of the greatly maligned whites. This time without any preconceptions or skewed brand loyalty.

  5. about 23 months ago

    Panman

    Wow, great to look back at these older episodes. I am a fan of Kris Pinot Grigio and try to recommend it (or at least anything else) over the Santa Margherita. Not that its bad, but you can get more bang for your buck else where. Ah, back to the whole rating and price debate.

    PS great improvement on the lighting on the new episodes transitioning from the normal office lighting here to higher quality lighting TV-set like lighting. Makes me wonder what the hell the lighting my office must look like….what is it doing to my eyes!! Yikes.

  6. about 17 months ago

    Fiorentina!

    I was recently introduced to these episodes and I gotta tell ya, these are pretty entertaining. When thinking about Pinot Grigio, I have to agree with Panman about the Kris. The 2005 Kris is simply a wonderful, light, but complex Pinot Grigio. Another fun wine from Veneto is the 2005 Borgo Maddelana. A little bit more light body and the acids, but fuller on the fruit this wine is worth it’s $10 price.

  7. about 16 months ago

    sfgiants55

    Great episode for this time of the year. It’s always great seeing these old episodes. It kind of takes you back. I wonder what has happened to Gary over the past 16 months. He’s now so wired he has sugar coming out of his ears. Also, notice how his descriptions are so non-existent… At least he didn’t use “profound” five thousand times like he did on the first episode.

  8. about 15 months ago

    Elliot Essman

    My working my way back over all these old episodes has been a fine education.

    Your diplomatic treatment of the Santa Margherita is interesting. It makes me wonder how the wine would fare in a blind test, where all you knew was the grape and the price.

  9. about 15 months ago

    Ross

    Pretty good episode. It’s always nice to see a popular wine go up against some competition. I’m even in the top 10. lol.

    $.04

  10. about 15 months ago

    David Canada

    What was with that shirt in this episode….serious. Have Lizzy dress you ;)

  11. about 15 months ago

    vibemore

    Keep exploring = I’m all for it. But I must admit I feel like kind of a wine idiot not even knowing about Santa Margherita until now. So I will definitely keep exploring.

  12. about 14 months ago

    Steve

    Pinot Grigio is Italian for pinot gris (French translation);(same grape.) This varietal is a mutation (not a clone) of Pinot Noir.

  13. about 13 months ago

    Malarkey

    These early vids are dead, they don’t play anymore :-( please revive them!

  14. about 12 months ago

    WA Ambassador

    I’ve never been able to get a good handle on pinot grigio. Thanks for the reviewing of these bottles. It has given me more to go on when looking for this variety.

  15. about 9 months ago

    David James

    Not a massive fan of white, but I promise to try a Pinot Grigio next time I buy a bottle

  16. about 8 months ago

    The Fanjestic

    Still too Calm! It’s as if Gary lost his mojo.

  17. about 8 months ago

    Mr.Ambassador

    I’ve recently been having a great amount of fun sampling through many of Oregon’s Pinot Gris/Grigios; certainly one of the varietals I’m taking some time to experience. Really enjoy the Eyrie and Foris which makes a “Fly Over White” blend which I’ve taken to.

    Based on your tastings and recommendations there are several more Pinot Gris/Grigios I need to start trying!

    Great 2nd Episode and very diplomatic handling of the Santa Margherita.

  18. about 6 months ago

    lawschooldrunk

    In this episode Gary goes prep! Nice sweater, man. doesn’t really go too well with your punk/rap attitude of today (2/24/08).

    I’m seeing that these earlier episodes, while amazing in their own right with a learning curve, don’t offer as in depth taste analysis as later episodes- so kudos, Gary, on VASTLY improving. biggy up!

    Seriously, what did you mean about wine store taking returns? Did you mean that you could taste it and return if you didn’t like it or just return a duplicate, closed bottle?

    What’s that sound you make while tasting? Is it to aerate the wine, to get the taste into the lungs like with single malt scotch tasting?

    I see on this episode you use multiple cups. Isn’t this smarter than what you do now with rinsing out your one cup- isn’t this more wasteful? Why use wine to rinse when you can use a different cup?

    Things learned in this episode: it’s pino gri and not grigio; bottle shock does exist (never even heard of it before now!)

    keep it up, Gary, and get fa’shnikin and shiker!

  19. about 4 months ago

    Dale Cruse

    I’m digging Alsation Pinot Grigio.

  20. about 4 months ago

    David Cole

    Man, you threw with the order you rate these, especially with you rave on value!

    I’m so glad that you now put the price on all wines.

    It was weird seeing you all prep with the sweater……..:)

  21. about 2 months ago

    Robert P.

    Man, where is the thunder!

    It is great to see how the show has progressed over time. What up with the sweater?

  22. about 2 months ago

    Dan Leavy

    still subdued, not yet rolling with the thunder :)

    second word: “to”

  23. about a month ago

    kjdion

    good ep. i need to open myself to whites more. I think that pinot gris could do it for me.

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