I bought this wine on a whim. I was at the store perusing the wine aisles (that’s usually where you’ll find me in the supermarket) and I saw the label “Barrymore.” Ironically, I had just heard from my coworker that same week that Drew had her own wine label. Curious? Yes I was. Curious enough to buy a bottle, in fact.
Now for those who’ve read my previous posts, I did, in fact, also purchase her Pinot Noir. However, although I tasted Pinot Noir first, the Pinot Grigio was actually my first purchase. But I kept it in my cellar. Why? Well, my reasons are two-fold. 1) Pinot Grigios can be disappointing: I’ve had those that are so fruit-forward (borderline sweet) that I question whether or not it’s actually a Riesling or Gewurztraminer (won’t name names here). Then I’ve had those that have had so little flavor that I feel like I may as well be drinking water and save myself the alcohol points for something with some umph (again no names). 2) Because I had occasion to enjoy Drew’s Pinot first I actually had some high expectations for this wine so I wanted to make sure I was in the mood for a PG and had the perfect food pairing.
Well that time did come, and here are the results…
About the Wine: I dove deep into the Barrymore wine story on my last post, so bare bones facts here.
For Monterey, 2015 was effected by warm weather and drought just like the rest of California, thus an early and small harvest. However, because of this, the crop results were tightly packed, small grape clusters — intense flavorsome fruits with intense natural acidity.
The 2015 Barrymore Pinot Grigio is made from 100% Pinot Grigio grapes from Monterey County. The grapes were fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks. 113% ABV
Flavor Profile: This Pinot Grigio is quite pretty in the glass with its soft-blond hue. The other thing I noticed straight-away is a bit of bubbly swirling around as I inhaled my first breath of wine. Initial aromas are of crisp green apples, straight off the tree in summer time: all at once sweet and sour, tart and tangy, and yet there’s an underlying essence of fresh air and sunshine. And these elements follow through on the palate. The initial taste is that crispy green apple, but there’s bursts of lemon zest in the background, along with a freshly-cut-grass herbaceousness. The acidity and minerality walk hand in hand in this Pinot Grigio, with neither one taking over but each one playing their part to keep the wine fresh from start to finish. And yes, there’s an effervescence that’s just lovely on the palate — it clings to the tongue for a finish that’s never-ending. And who would want it to end?
Food Pairing: I feel fortunate that this wine was just as pretty as I had wanted it to be. And that’s one of the reasons I held off tasting it — I knew I needed a dish that was just as pretty, fresh, and lovely as the Barrymore Pinot Grigio.
Now, I will admit, with it’s lightness and brightness, this wine could easily be paired with a number of things, and would certainly make an ideal aperitif. Drew writes that this wine would be best enjoyed with meals such as gnocchi in brown butter and burnt sage or a simple Caprese salad. I’ll meet you in the middle, Drew. My perfect pairing is a simple pasta primavera.
Yes, those fresh, if slightly grilled, veggies will do well to pull out even more herbaceousness from the Pinot Grigio. A light tomato sauce — heirloom tomato-based if you can find it — will simultaneously compliment the acidity and minerality. A fresh home-made pasta — ideally cooked al dente — will give the whole eating/drinking experience a bit more body and structure, while the effervescence of the wine is sure to cut through any heaviness of a pasta dough. Lastly, I encourage you to either top or toss the pasta with some fresh parsley — it brings the whole thing together, truly.
More Info: If you haven’t read my review of Carmel Road Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir, please do so — I highly recommend it as a refreshing red wine choice. Barrymore Pinot Grigio is also brought to us from Carmel Road, so for more information, please visit the Carmel Road website which does connect to Barrymore Wine specific information. I was able to find this wine at Safeway (Sale Price: $13 ). I must add, Drew has three wines available, of which I’ve tried two — I’m eager to try her Rosé of Pinot Noir (even though I’m quite picky about my rosê’ wines — I trust that if I loved her Pinot Noir, I’ll love her rosé results!) — however that’s the one wine of hers I can’t find in stores. I’ll keep my eyes peeled and keep you posted…Cheers!
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