"pinot grigio" news and stories

Pinot, Produce and Prima - The Minneapolis Star Tribune in 60 Seconds

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by Monika Bartyzel, Posted Sep 22nd 2009 @ 12:00PM

Corn and tomato salsas. Photo: sporkist, Flickr.

With just-picked farmers' market ingredients, the Salsa Lady makes sinfully spicy salsas.
After a class-action lawsuit was filed against Dannon for overstating Activia and DanActive health benefits, the company reached a settlement.
The Star Tribune thinks a warm September is perfect pinot grigio weather, and suggests Scaranto Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio 2007.
Warming up the cool fall kitchen with fresh corn fritters.
Is there such a thing as wine that works for everyone?
Minneapolis has the largest group of Hmong people in the U.S., but their ethnic food is still underground.
In metro dining news, Chambers gets a new look and tasty new menu, Loring Kitchen & Bar gives great views of Loring Park, and OM Restaurant dishes up fresh and complex Indian food.
Weekly restaurant pick: Lyndale Ave's Prima.

Filed under: In Sixty Seconds

Best Boxed Wines

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by Slashfood Editor, Posted Sep 1st 2009 @ 4:19PM

More people are drinking wine in a box than ever before. Read about the best boxed wines on Slashfood.

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Think Outside the (Wine) Box

by Kat Kinsman
Myths, Truths & Shopping Suggestions

Boxed wines of the past had a deservedly bad rap, but new packaging techniques have enticed makers of excellent vino to get juiced about wine boxes. We sipped and swirled over a dozen of 'em, so keep clicking to get our top picks (and a list of ones to skip) and one heck of a lot of reasons why we think great boxed wine is the wave of the future.

Nicole Goksel

Getty Images North America

Think Outside the (Wine) Box

Nicole Goksel

Delicato Bota Box Chardonnay - 2005 (California)

Verdict: We liked it.
Tasting notes: Great floral smell, easy-drinking, a little bit dry
Tip: Once bottled wine has been opened, it's got a 4 day shelf life before it starts to really oxidize and turn. Because the majority of boxed wines are built with a bag-in-box system that doesn't allow air in, it'll stay fresh for at least 4 weeks.

Nicole Goksel

Three Thieves Bandit Pinot Grigio - 2004 (California)

Verdict: Our favorite of the white wines
Tasting notes: Light, herbal, kiwi
Tip: Because boxed wine stays fresh for a significant amount of time, it's easy to keep a box on hand in the cupboard or fridge so you can pour a single glass whenever you'd like -- without having to go to the fuss of opening a new bottle or worrying about waste. It's perfect for those drinking a glass a day for a healthy heart.

Nicole Goksel

Washington Hills Columbia Valley Chardonnay - 2004 (Washington State)

Verdict: We loved it.
Tasting notes: Citrusy, grassy, fresh, slightly chalky
Tip:While a few wines come in 1 or 5 liter boxes, the box you'll usually find on the shelves is the "3 liter cask," which holds the equivalent of 4 bottles of wine.

Nicole Goksel

Banrock Station Chardonnay - 2006 (South Eastern Austrailia)

Verdict: We loved it.
Tasting notes: Peachy, vanilla, not too oaky
Tip: The 3-liter boxes we sampled cost between $11.99 and $29.99, with the average being around $16.99. While the high end of that range might be a bit more than you might wish to spend on an everyday bottle, remember -- you're actually getting 4 bottles worth. Even at $7.50 a bottle, that's still a steal.

Nicole Goksel

Three Thieves Bandit Cabernet Sauvignon - 2002 (California)

Verdict: Our favorite of the red wines (tie)
Tasting notes: Buttery, blackberries, also comes in a 4-pack of single-serving boxes
Tip: Even if you're short a home wine rack, there's no need to worry, 'cause the flat box packaging makes it as easy to store as cereal.

Nicole Goksel

Cintra Venezie Pinot Noir - Non-Vintage (Italy)

Verdict: We liked it
Tasting notes: A bit astringent, complex
Tip: Not so crafty with a corkscrew? No worries, 'cause the tab or cap is built right in-- eliminating the risk of crumbled cork and the resulting air exposure which taints the taste. Taps and screwcaps might have seemed tacky once upon a time, but more and more great winemakers are sealing the deal.

Nicole Goksel

Chateau de Pena Cuvee de Pena Vin de Pays - 2004 (France)

Verdict: Our favorite of the red wines (tie)
Tasting notes: Spicy, hint of blackberries, complex
Tip: If your friends seem resistant to the idea of boxed wine, try pouring in another room, and bringing in the glasses on a tray. Only after they've ooh-ed and ahh-ed, let 'em in on what it is they've been drinking. Great wines can come in square packages.

Nicole Goksel

French Rabbit Merlot - 2004 (France)

Verdict: We liked it
Tasting notes: Cherries, spicy chocolate
Tip: Because boxed wine has been kept under such tight wraps, aerobically speaking, make sure to give it a big ol' swirl in the glass, let it sit for a minute to fully open up and aerate, or dig out that decanter from the back of the cabinet.

Nicole Goksel

Thirsty Lizard Shiraz - 2005 (South Eastern Australia)

Verdict: We liked it very much
Tasting Notes: Plummy, jammy, easy-drinking
Tip: While this might all seem like a packaging revolution, folks in Europe and Australia have known and enjoyed the benefits of boxed booze for a long time. It's the perfect no-fuss way to enjoy the sorts of wines that are best enjoyed while they're still young and fresh -- no wine cellar required.

Nicole Goksel

Filed under: Taste Test

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Wine of the Week

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by Gretchen Roberts, Posted Jul 6th 2009 @ 3:00PM

Photo: Barefoot Cellars

Gretchen Roberts writes the wine blog Vinobite, has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

I confess I'm not a huge Pinot Grigio fan, but only because so many of them are boring and insipid, like the drone who corners you at a party and prevents you from meeting more interesting people. But Pinot Grigio is the wine du jour in the summer, and when you find a good one among the sea of soulless, watery summertime quaffers, it's wise to snap it up.

Pinot Gris is the French name for the same grape, but is generally used to denote fuller-bodied and riper wines -- those with some interesting complexity and a mineral character. Here are six Gris/Grigio brands I'm happy to sip.

Six $25-and-Under Pinot Grigio/Gris recommendations after the jump, plus our Wine Poll of the Week (do you like it hot?).

Filed under: Wine of the Week, Drink Recipes, Drinks

5 Wine Steals to Buy Right Now - Wine of the Week

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by Gretchen Roberts, Posted May 18th 2009 @ 11:00AM

Gretchen Roberts has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

With just a week to go until Memorial Day, here are five more wine steals for party hosts and guests.

5. Mirassou Pinot Grigio 2007 ($9). Ripe with oranges, peaches, nectarines and hints of spring flowers, this deliciously inexpensive Pinot Grigio got a surprise 90 rating from Wine Enthusiast.

4. Barefoot Riesling NV ($7). Slightly sweet and tasting simply of green apples and peaches, Barefoot Riesling is a good choice if you like riper, sweeter wines.

3. Hosmer Cayuga Lake Dry Riesling 2007 ($12). Dry and mineral on the nose, the Hosmer Riesling is tart with lemons, limes, green apples and white peaches -- lovely if you like bracingly dry whites. It made Wine & Spirits magazine's "100 Top Values of the Year" list in the June 2009 issue and is one of my absolute favorite New York State Rieslings.

Two more -- including a $7 vino -- after the jump.

Filed under: Wine of the Week, Drink Recipes, Drinks

Cult Cab and keeping Cool: San Francisco Chronicle Wine section in 60 seconds

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by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Aug 3rd 2006 @ 12:31PM

bargain california wines California's "cult Cab," Screaming Eagle, released its 2003 vintage in June of this year, and is commanding a price of $1,500 for three bottles. That's $500 a bottle, making it the most expensive current-realease wine out of the US. But is it worth it?

Bargain Wines are all over the map of California. The Wine Selection of the Week is Pinot Grigio/Gris. They tasted 52 wines and picked the best, ranging from light, citrusy, Italian-style Pinot Grigios to richer, weightier Pinot Gris similar to those produced in the Alsace region of France. The highest rating of the list went to 2005 Robert Sinskey Los Carneros Pinot Gris with three-and-a-half stars out of four (***1/2).

A Citrus-Coconut Milk Ceviche is a perfect pair for the Pinot Grigios, and the hot weather. The Cheese Selection of the Week is a "candy-like" sheep's milk cheese called Ewephoria.

Filed under: Newspapers, In Sixty Seconds, Ingredients, Drink Recipes