A good Aussie Pinot Grigio from Pizzini

Pizzini White Fields King Valley Pinot Grigio 2013

Sadly, Pinot Grigio is rather bastardised in Australia, with too many wines that taste either like alcoholic water or some sort of frankenwine, with early picked hard acid and odd sweetness.

This Grigio, from Pizzini, is neither of these things, which is not surprising really given just how seriously the Pizzini family take their Italian varietals.

On that, part of the reason why Pizzini’s Italian wines are that much better than many Aussie iterations is actually because of phylloxera, with the family literally forced to replant their vineyard and start again some years ago due to the vine louse being found in the valley.

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When they did replant they used more suitable rootstocks, more favourable clones and the right setup. A clean slate, though it would have been painful at the time…

This particular wine comes from White Fields, which is the original name for Whitfields,

Pizzini’s high altitude vineyard located above the King Valley Valley floor. Surely good Grigio country too, if just because its so cold that you can make pure, delicate wines.

Fred Pizzini and family make two Pinot Grigio styles and this is the more premium wine (and released later too). Water clear, it smells faintly of pears and some gumball yeast, the delicate nose offset by a quite generous, surprisingly ripe and yeast edged palate.

Pure, clean and delicate, its exactly what you’d want Pinot Grigio to be (if you’re fond of the Alto Aldige fragrant style), yet not without texture and depth.

I rather liked it. In fact, this is one of the best Australian Grigios I’ve had in a while, just edging out the (also excellent) Quealy.

Yes.

Details: 12%, Screwcap, $27 at cellar door
Tasted: Feb ’15, sample
Drink: 2014-2017
Score: 18/20, 93/100
Would I buy it? Off a list, when I was eating delicate white fish? Absolutely.
Buy online: Pizzini wines website