The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 is a $5.99 import Trader Joe’s exclusive sourced from vineyards in the Delle Venzie DOC of Northeast Italy. The Delle Venzie region specializes in White wine grapes and grows German grape varietals and Italian, but is best known for Pinot Grigio.

The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 is designated a DOC wine, which means this wine conformed to all the rules and regulations from the vineyard to the winery. A typical inexpensive Italian wine is designated an IGP wine, which shows the wine represents the region but did not conform to all the rules and regulations.

I doubt if you can taste the difference between a DOC wine and an IGP wine at the lower price range. A well-made IGP wine can taste every bit as good as a well-made DOC wine. It may not make a difference in your buying decisions, but I like seeing the higher designations with my cheap wine purchases.

The top Pinot Grigio wines come from the Alto Adige region in Italy which is just north of Delle Venzie. Adige is a river and Alto is the heights above the river, the wines from here tend to be more expensive. But Delle Venzie is known for producing quality wines.

Pinot Grigio translates to Grey Pinecone, way back when someone in the vineyard thought the grapes looked like a grey pinecone, which is odd because if you Google Pinot Grigio grapes and look for images, you will not find grey pinecones. Pinot Grigio grapes come in all colors and are one of the White wine grapes made into a Rosé.

The French Pinot Gris grape is the same as the Pinot Grigio grape. Gris is French for gray. Pinot Gris tends to be produced in a more rounded style, from the Italian Pinot Grigio more citrus, brightly acidic wines. The alcohol content is 12%.

Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 Tasting Notes

The color is a very pale wheat yellow. The nose is ripe lemons and apples, a little honey, some lime, light spice, and a floral edge. The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 is a light-bodied wine with bright acidity and subtle flavors. The back of the bottle suggests serving this Pinot Grigio well chilled.

It starts with a nice blend of sharp apple and soft pear, grapefruit (not too tart), melon, lime, and salty sensation. Served this wine after an extended period in the refrigerator; under normal circumstances, I would not review a wine under those conditions.

Cold temperatures will mask the aromas and flavors in wine. You would not serve you to over-chill an expensive wine; you will dilute your drinking experience. Wines such as the Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 are best as summer coolers; it is ok if you don’t get the full effect since it is enjoyable when served cool and refreshing.

The Summary

• The Villa Borghetti Grigio Luna Pinot Grigio 2020 is an enjoyable summer cooler.
• Get it nice and cold, and the tasty flavors and the lip-smacking acidity will do the rest.