May 25, 2017

Vendange Pinot Grigio

For Memorial Day Weekend, I’ve decided to blog about a wine you can take on a picnic – one in a box.  I thought a Pinot Grigio would make a good choice – it’s fabulous in the warm weather, refreshing, and light.  This particular brand comes in small, 3 glass, size boxes for $4 at Kroger.

Basically it’s inexpensive enough that if it’s terrible you won’t feel like you lost a lot.

I tasted a Black Box wine a while back that was pretty good.  Black Box just came out with Rose, but so far my local stores don’t carry it.  Perhaps for a future blog.

This one has a nice nose.  It’s full of pear and melon, with a hint of green apple.  I’m genuinely surprised, the nose is better than a lot of traditional bottles I’ve purchased. 

The flavor profile is equally as interesting.  It’s heavier than I’d expect a Pinot Grigio, a little bit sweeter, and full of melon flavor.  I’d have to call this wine full bodied – amazing.

I like it.  It might be a bit much for new wine drinkers.  But I wouldn’t frown on it as a “wine snob.”  I’d throw this in the cooler and take it with me.

I frowned upon boxed wine for a long time.  (I still do a little bit.)  But from an economical, earth-friendly perspective, it makes sense.  Less waste, very affordable, and it takes up less room in the cooler. 

I don’t expect to see $100 vintages in boxes soon, but for the everyday wine that might see beach sand, I think these are great.