Where it comes into its strength for me is when I have non-wine lovers over, or when ordering wine for large-scale team drinks (back in the days). I won’t want to scare them off by anything perceived as too extreme (“Riesling?! No thanks, wine should be dry…”), but really can’t be bothered to serve/order any standard plonk either.
Since Pinot Gris is fairly straightforward in its tasting profile, most people will like it. By picking a bottle from a great producer (Boxler’s Grand Cru Brand!), I will also find it interesting enough myself to enjoy it.
Keller also does a very quaffable Grauburgunder that works great on a hot summer day.
The screwcapped 2021 Scarpetta Pinot Grigio [Friuli] is 13% abv and a pretty satisfying drink on a hot afternoon. I think I like their branded wine where they mix in chardonnay a little better though. I find this to be very light bodied, pale in color, and simple/honest. There is a small note of bitter almonds here, but the rest of the back label descriptors feel fair to me. Normally the sibling I opened this for prefers NZSB but this was all that was chilled at the moment. Now that it’s truly heating up here, we’ll need to keep more blanc chilled for impromptu quaffing.
The porcine label is fascinating, yet unnerving. We turned it away from ourselves (after taking the picture) so that delicate sensibilities were not ruffled.
PS: by coincidence, on my afternoon walk, after posting this, I listened to an old podcast with Bobby Stuckey, the restaurateur/sommelier Friuli promoter who makes and imports this. I had not realized he was formerly of The Little Nell and The French Laundry
Well, I don´t drink that much Pinot gris - and if I do my choice is a Styrian one (South Austria) -
I´m living not that much away from the Austrian border and I can get whatever I want from there quite easily.
For crispiness i´d chose other wines (SB, Muskateller), but Pinot gris has fullness and roundness without being heavy (at least those I have) and goes well with certain dishes.
I´m not a fan of Friuli PG - these indeed can be a bit dull and neutral.
