The Gia Pinot Grigio 2013 is sourced from vineyards located in more than one California grape growing AVA. The Gia on the label is Gia Coppola, the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola and Gia wine is one of the Coppola family of wines. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same grape, the difference is Pinot Gris tends to be produced with more body and Pinot Grigio is lighter and subtle, though there is no law that says it has to be that way. Gia Coppola started her label in 2012 and her wines include a Sparkling wine and a Pinot Noir, Corey Beck, the winemaker for Coppola wines is also the winemaker here. This Pinot Grigio was fermented and aged in stainless steel vats. The alcohol content is 11.5%. A check of the internet saw prices of between $10 and $15 and the list price is $17.
The color is light sunshine yellow. The nose is peach, citrus and a bouquet of flowers. The Gia PG is a pretty wine, with lighter acidity than you find in some Pinot Grigio. It tastes of grapefruit, peach, Bosc pear,and lemon with a soft slap of minerality. This is a bright and lively Pinot Grigio with ripe fruit and citrus flavors. The finish is subtle, but lasts and lasts.
I got off on the wrong foot, way back when I first tasted a Pinot Grigio. I sampled the leading import Pinot Grigio and it was subtle, the flavors were a little too subtle and there was nothing subtle at all about the acidity. It was fine for washing down a plate of pasta with white sauce, it’s great that a wine goes well with food, but I like wine that can also stand on its own. If I had started with a Pinot Grigio like the Gia Pinot Grigio 2013, Pinot Grigio would have been on my regular rotation, rather than I wine only drink when I have to write about it. The Gia Pinot Grigio is a bright, flavorful, balanced, delicious Pinot Grigio that is fun to drink and will do a great job of washing down that pasta with white sauce.
