Pinot Gris, Nielsen Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, 2007

$21 per bottle

It’s a finicky grape, bluish-purple in skin color and desiring a cool but sunny growing locale. It produces wines that range in color from coral to pink to a pale straw. It can be made in styles that range from racingly austere to unctuously rich. Could only be Pinot, right? Yes, this is Pinot Gris, a cousin to Pinot Noir, and at Flying Goat this interesting and versatile grape is coaxed into a crisp and delightful white wine, always released just in time for the warmer months of each year.

A pale yellow-green color with brilliant highlights foretells of the crisp vivacity of this refreshing wine. A subtle perfume of pears and just ripe white peach mingle with green apple and a hint of tropical papaya on the nose, and a swirl adds hints of grapefruit rind. Fuji apples and pears are surrounded by a flinty minerality and a lively, tangy texture. The 2007 Pinot Gris finishes with a touch of richness to the mid-palate and a fresh, cleansing and zesty lemon-lime finish. This is a young, bright wine that should be enjoyed in its youth. A great picnic wine or summer sipper, it pairs nicely with soft cheeses and spicy shellfish dishes. Just 196 cases were produced

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