Tasting: Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio

Name: Clos du Bois Pinot Grigio

Variety of Grape(s): 100% Pinot Grigio

Region/Country of Origin: Modesto, California, USA

Vintage Year: 2020

Price: $12

Winery Tasting Notes: The classic Pinot Grigio displays intense aromas of white peach, melon and pink grapefruit, with delicate hints of floral notes. Lively acidity with bright citrus and grapefruit notes lead to a crisp and refreshing finish. Enjoy a glass chilled by itself, or pair with your favorite Asian or shellfish dishes (wine.com, 2022).

Wine Folly Notes: Wine Folly describes Pinot Grigio as having low to medium body, medium to high acidity, and a “range in style from dry to just plain sweet,” which made sense to me. Pinot Grigio has notes of white peach, lemon zest, cantaloupe, raw almond, and crushed gravel notes. The lemon flavor was fairly strong, and the peach flavor was more subtle. Given that the average amount spent on a bottle is $15, I think $12 was a good price. It was nice to try a Pinot Grigio from California since my earlier tasting of it was from Italy. I hope to try Pinot Grigios from other countries, including Hungary, Moldova, and New Zealand since they are less common areas of production, and it will be interesting to taste the different styles. Because Pinot Grigio seems very easy to pair food with, I will try pairing it next time with a white meat or seafood as Wine Folly recommends (e-text, pg. 350-351).

My Review: I did not think this wine was great. It was not bad, but I will not be purchasing it again. From smelling it, I could sense floral notes, honey, and bit of melon. After tasting it, I thought it was bitter, light, and acidic. Moreover, I could taste the lemon and after looking at the back of the bottle, I could sense the white peach and grapefruit notes as well. It was rewarding to be able to pick out some of those flavors and scents before seeing any descriptors from the bottle or producer. The wine tasted a bit sour but did not give that crisp, refreshing feeling I was expecting. I had this wine by itself, without food.