Four Friends and Two Bottles
Kathy Doner, Kate Fauci, Pam Romeo, and Carolyn Brown
On the first truly steamy evening of summer, four friends (Kathy, Kate, Pam and Carolyn) headed out to Skaneateles to enjoy some peaceful time together looking out at the lake and tasting some wine. I
f you haven’t ventured over to Skaneateles, you are missing out. It is a quaint, bustling little town on one of the most picturesque Finger Lakes. One of our very favorite Central New York destinations, Skaneateles is only thirty minutes from downtown Syracuse. Try it to shop, eat, walk the pier, paddleboard, or taste some wine
To recap our novice approach to tasting: none of us is a wine expert but we know what we like and are happy to share our unbiased opinion with you. To keep things consistent, we developed our own unique rating system: pass, glass, bottle, case; you can interpret it as 1, 2, 3, and 4 stars.
Very much in summer mode, we decided to try Pinot Grigio, a light white wine that also happens to be Pam’s favorite. According to Huon Hooke, an Australian wine critic and writer for The Sydney Morning Herald, “Pinot Grigio is usually crisp, with citrus fruit, apples and a hint of spice. Richer bottles, especially those from Alsace, can have notes of peaches, candied ginger, honey and rose petal. Most Pinot Grigio is dry, but it’s also made in off-dry and even sweet styles.”
A question came up immediately – what is the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris? Again, we turn to Hooke, “The short explanation of their difference is that gris is based on the French Alsace style, riper and richer, with more alcohol and sometimes a little sweetness; grigio is based on the Italian model, lighter and simpler with less alcohol.” Who knew?
With that question answered, we’ll jump into our tasting of Riff and Cantina Zaccagnini. We have a clear favorite.
To be thorough, we’ll include the winemaker’s description at the end. But remember, they made the wine and want to sell the wine. You might like our non-biased reactions better.
Here is our inexpert attempt to describe and compare the flavors:
RIFF (NORTHEASTERN ITALIAN ALPS)
Cost per bottle: $13 to $15
Kathy: Light taste, rich color, smooth beginning, ending has slight punch of flavor.
Kate: Tangy, fruity, sweet, boring, thin.
Pam: Sweet, light, watery, simple, soft.
Carolyn: Light, fruity, a bit bland in flavor, flat.
Winemaker: Brilliant straw-yellow color with a green tint. Fine, fruity, forward varietal aromas. Fresh, lively, precise, medium-bodied with a fresh mouth-watering finish, dry and crisp.
Rating: Just buy a glass of the Riff Pinto Grigio.
CANTINA ZACCAGNINI (ABRUZZO, ITALY)
Cost per bottle: $16 to $18
Kathy: Lightly colored, smooth, fruity, not sweet or bitter.
Kate: Smooth, bit of citrus, good mix of dry and sweet, delicious.
Pam: Velvety, bright, flavorful, strong.
Carolyn: Vibrant, citrus flavor, easy to enjoy.
Winemaker: This lively, dry white wine is crafted in a fresh, soft style that reflects the style of Italian vineyards. With a delicate bouquet and flavors of citrus, melon, and apple, this wine ends with a crisp, refreshing finish.
Rating: Buy a case of the Cantina Zaccagnini Pinot Grigio.
Cheers to all from Kathy, Kate, Pam and Carolyn.
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