Great concept or gross? PINK Pinot Grigio

[Robin Garr]

Just got an overheated news release from a New York PR firm pushing Folonari's new <i>Pink</i> Pinot Grigio as a great ingredient in cocktails. This off-dry wine is apparently made by selecting PG grapes with pink skins and fermenting the wine with skin contact. Anybody seen it or, lord help us, tasted it?

From the press release:

FACT SHEET

WHAT IS IT? A sassy new wine with a flare for fashion, Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio is a refreshingly fruity, off-dry rose with a fanciful pink label depicting a stylish young woman walking a perfectly- coiffed pink poodle.

WHY PINK? A 100% percent pure Pinot Grigio, the pretty-in-pink hue comes from the juice’s contact with a skin that’s darker-than-most white wine-producing grapes.

WHO’S BUYING? Because Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio is fresh, crisp and easy-to-drink, it speaks to the spirit of the consumer it will likely attract -- mainly hip, young women who are moving and shaking about town.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU? With a citrus-floral nose that’s ripe on the palate with a nice pop of sweetness, Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio is ideally suited to sushi, shellfish, salmon, chicken and all types of Asian cuisine.

HOW MUCH IS IT? $7.99

GOTTA HAVE IT? Available nationwide

WHERE TO GET IT? Wine shops, liquor stores, select grocery stores and wherever other Folonari wines are sold.

Robin,

I haven't seen or heard of this wine, but tinted Pinot Grigio wines do exist. I visited Luna Vineyards in Napa in 1997 and our post-lunch wine was a pinky-purple Pinot Grigio port...it was irresistible to the wasps and quite tasty.

Haven't had this, but I have had Rosé of Pinot Gris from Reuilly. No tasting notes, except that I thought it was pretty teriffic.

Dave

...it was irresistible to the wasps and quite tasty.

Robert,
I take it the Catholics and jews didn't care for it very much?
BP

Without knowing about the wine in question per se, I believe that if Pinot Gris has pinkish skins already and a winery were to ferment it using skin contact so as to impart some colour to the wine, there would be nothing wrong with such a wine; it'd be unique, and certainly it wouldn't be gross. I'd say the same for a hypothetical skin-fermented Gewürz, and certainly I've proposed the same treatment for Catawba and Delaware - all these grapes have pink skins to varying degrees.

...it was irresistible to the wasps and quite tasty.

Robert,
I take it the Catholics and jews didn't care for it very much?
BP

we were disciples of Bacchus that afternoon

hi robin - as someone else has pointed out, p grigio/gris skins are always at least pink and often more. and reuilly is somewhat known for this sort of thing. ciccone vineyards here in MI produces a pink version as well.

Exactly, 'grey' (grigio, gris) grapes in French or Italian are those between 'white' and 'black', ie with pink skins.

I'm not really part of the target group, Robin, but it sounds like fun. Thanks -- I'll look for it, and post a TN.

I saw it a couple of months ago here in Philadelphia - my eyes popped out of my head, and totally dismissed it (after I put my eyes back into my head). If I see it again I'll get it and report.

[Robin Garr]

Exactly, 'grey' (grigio, gris) grapes in French or Italian are those between 'white' and 'black', ie with pink skins.

Whoa, usually I'm more effective at communicating in written English than this.

I know what "Grigio/Gris" means, folks. Really I do. My invocation of "Gross" had to do with the appearance that this PG is being vinified to compete in the "blush" niche and is being marketed in the same way.

A rich-style PG fermented on the skins to capture color (and extract) could be quite an interesting wine, assuming the grapes weren't overcropped. But the language of this press release doesn't inspire me to expect a wine-geek product.

Without knowing about the wine in question per se, I believe that if Pinot Gris has pinkish skins already and a winery were to ferment it using skin contact so as to impart some colour to the wine, there would be nothing wrong with such a wine; it'd be unique, and certainly it wouldn't be gross. I'd say the same for a hypothetical skin-fermented Gewürz, and certainly I've proposed the same treatment for Catawba and Delaware - all these grapes have pink skins to varying degrees.

I make Steuben as a Rose, whereas most wineries make it white. While ripe Steuben grapes can look as dark as a Concord, they have much less pigmentation. It requires a long maceration to extract the color, resulting in a rose wine with tannins. Perhaps the Pinot Grigio is like this - tannic?

[Jenise]

A rich-style PG fermented on the skins to capture color (and extract) could be quite an interesting wine, assuming the grapes weren't overcropped. But the language of this press release doesn't inspire me to expect a wine-geek product.

Let me reccomend to you the 05 Panther Creek. They may make more than one--I know the one I had a few weeks ago had a single vineyard name but I can't remember what that was--but it was the pale pink of pink pearls. So have been recent versions of Duck Pond. You can taste the extract--it's quite pleasant.

hi robin - as someone else has pointed out, p grigio/gris skins are always at least pink and often more. and reuilly is somewhat known for this sort of thing. ciccone vineyards here in MI produces a pink version as well.

Aren't they Madonna's parents?

But the language of this press release doesn't inspire me to expect a wine-geek product.

I'm with you on that, Robin. Anything promoted as a "sassy wine with a flair for fashion" is something I'm not likely to buy. Unless, of course, someone here tries it and recommends it.


Mike

"Aren't they Madonna's parents?"

Father, Thomas. Her mother is dead. There's a wonderful documentary showing Modanna grieving at her mother's grave.

"Truth or Dare." Warren Beatty steals the show.

There are quite a few pink Pinot Grigio's from Italy on the UK market.

I've not tasted any, but sales of pink wines have gone up considerably in the past year or so here and thus there is now more or a choice in the shops, and thats the reason I assumed for the pink PGs, to satisfy demand.

The Waitrose supermarket site says "A rosé made from Pinot Grigio is a rarity as it can only be made in years when the hot autumn sun turns the grape skins a copper colour. When pressed, the grapes give the wine a pale pink tinge, floral aromas and soft, red fruit flavours."

[Robin Garr]

There are quite a few pink Pinot Grigio's from Italy on the UK market.

I've not tasted any,

Note however, that this American-marketed pink PG is "off-dry," according to the marketing copy, which suggests to my cynical mind that it's actually quite sweet. I wonder if your Italian pink PGs in Britain fit this "White Zin" profile. I hope not!

There are quite a few pink Pinot Grigio's from Italy on the UK market.

I've not tasted any,

Note however, that this American-marketed pink PG is "off-dry," according to the marketing copy, which suggests to my cynical mind that it's actually quite sweet. I wonder if your Italian pink PGs in Britain fit this "White Zin" profile. I hope not!

Even for you, Robin, I'm not buying one to find out. I can't see the point of pink wines.

[Robin Garr]

Even for you, Robin, I'm not buying one to find out. I can't see the point of pink wines.

No worries, I wouldn't ask anyone to do that!

I do like a good quality, crisp Provence rosé on a summer day, preferably with a meal IN Provence. And a pink PG intrigues me (assuming it's not vinified for the mass market) simply because it's the wine's true color, not a mere blanc de noirs or red-white blend.

But on the whole I'm inclined to share your disdain ... and doubly so for sweet "blush" wines.

Though we have tried them, we have never been Folonari fans, even in neophyte days (the other day!).

David, is Ciccone vineyards the one owned by Madonna's father and stepmother? I believe I visited that vineyard a few years ago and was impressed with their whites. The tasting room is very impressive IIRC.

I distinctly recall--must have been a few years ago--seeing a few pallet-loads of pink pinot grigio sold at fire-sale prices precisely because the color was "wrong." I'd say this is great marketing, making a virtue out of what was once considered a fault.

And while I'm on the subject--if you are still turning up your nose at pink wine, it can only be because you've never tasted a Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose. At $25+, it's not cheap, but it's excellent wine by anyone's standard. I'm always happy to see a Provence Pink on the table. The best ones are tart, snappy wines with aromas and flavors of strawberry and watermelon. A wine meant for drinking outdoors in warm weather. (I could go for some warm weather right about now...)

if you are still turning up your nose at pink wine)

I don't think anyone is turning up their nose(s) at pink wine, Dave; just pink plonk.