Chateau St Michelle Pinot Gris 2012

Pinot Grigio/Gris used to be my go-to wine. We had quite a long and enduring love affair and I was very loyal to my old friend PG, until the day I met the new love of my life, Zin. (It wasn’t quite that straightforward to convert me from a white to a red drinker, but that’s how I remember it in my probably-wine-blurred memory.) Nowadays, if I’m reaching for a white, I usually go Sauv Blanc or even something different like a Gewürztraminer or Viogioner. But, PG remains my mom’s favorite white, so whenever she’s around I take advantage of the opportunity to try some new versions of an old favorite.

Chateau St Michelle is one of those names you’ll see on a lot of restaurant menus and for good reason – they are generally, reliably really delicious wines. I’ve had their Riesling a number of times but this was my first taste of their Pinot Gris.

Right off the bat, I thought it was a bit too acidic for my liking. However, it just needed some time to warm up a bit (see picture: nearly frosty) for some of the flavor to really burst through. When it was a tad warmer, I enjoyed it more – still acidic, but in a more balanced lemony, grapefruit way. It was a fairly “middle ground” wine – not particularly sweet or too dry either. Definitely the kind of wine you can safely keep on hand for dinner parties or to gift to a white-drinking friend knowing they will more than likely enjoy it. We sipped it before our clam dinner at the beach and the salty, briney clams really helped to balance out a bit of the citrus. I’d buy it again, especially if I saw it on sale or needed a reliable white for a dinner party.

Tasting Notes:

Name: Chateau St Michelle Pinot Gris 2012

Grape: Pinot Gris

Origin: Washington State (Columbia Valley)

Price: $8.99 at Total Wine

General impressions: bright, citrus, medium-bodied, grapefruits, allow to breathe and warm up a little before drinking

Recommendations: a good party white, a dinner party white, a hostess gift white, a white to recommend to your momma

Would you buy again? Maybe… if it was on sale. For the same price point though Id’ probably go with Kudos Pinto Gris.