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The Kirkland Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio 2023 is a $4.99 Costco import wine. This is a new vintage, we found out about this wine with the 2022 vintage back in March of this year. We were impressed by how they could sell this drinkable wine, ship it from Italy, and still only charge $4.99.
The Friuli Grave DOC wine region is located in NorthWest Italy near the borders with Austria and Slovenia. Venice is the closest Italian city.
The folks in Italy who enjoy wine with lunch and dinner typically spend $5 or $6 on a bottle. Of course, some people spend more but the usual bottle of dinner wine is very affordable.
Friuli Grave is the place to find affordable wine and this type of Pinot Grigio is very simply made. Pick the grapes, crush them, ferment them, age them for a short time, and then bottle them. These are not wines for aging, they are at their best in the first two years or so with drinking sooner to release ideal.
Pinot Grigio from Alto Aldige (in the heights further west) can be produced in a more complex manner and be significantly more expensive. But, these cheap and cheerful Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio can be very useful and drinkable wines. The alcohol content is 12.5%.
The Kirkland Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio 2023 Tasting Notes
The color is a very pale wheat yellow. The nose is bright citrus and ripe fruit with a floral note. The Kirkland Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio 2023 is light to medium-bodied with surprisingly assertive flavors (but balanced).
This inexpensive Pinot Grigio tastes like a stew of lemon, apple, melon, and peach, followed by a hard-edged spice for contrast. The mid-palate offers stone fruit, dried pineapple, and a little tropical fruit
The acidity is bright and adds a little sparkle to this Pinot Grigio.
The Summary
- The Kirkland Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio 2023 is a $4.99 wine that is well worth drinking.
- This wine has the acidity to be paired with seafood, pasta in white sauce, and interesting cheeses.
- And it makes a good summer sipper.
