Pinot Grigio (2023)

About this wine

Pale straw color with green highlights, the nose shows pear, green apple and light floral notes, followed by hints of tropical fruit. The palate is bright and lean, driven by fresh acidity and flavors of lemon, white peach and a touch of stone fruit. The wine is 100 percent Pinot Grigio from the Delle Venezie DOC and is commonly vinified in stainless steel for a clean profile. Alcohol is around 12 percent and the producer is part of the Cantine Riondo group. Some bottlings are gently pressed and fermented at cool temperatures and held briefly on the lees to add a touch of texture, which helps explain the soft mid palate and the clean finish.

About the grape

Pinot Grigio is the Italian name for Pinot Gris, a natural color mutation of Pinot Noir that has roots in Burgundy and a long history in Alsace before becoming widely planted in northeastern Italy. In Delle Venezie producers commonly work with high yielding but managed plantings on alluvial, gravelly and calcareous soils that help preserve the grape s natural acidity and delicate aromatics. For Casa Lunardi the fruit is typically sourced from small local farms in the Veneto area and handled to keep freshness, with canopy management and often Guyot training to control yields and ripening. Growers in this region harvest relatively early and use stainless steel vinification or light lees contact to highlight the variety s clean, varietal character rather than extraction or oak.

Quick facts

• 🍇 Casa Lunardi Pinot Grigio is made by Cantine Riondo, a cooperative that brings together over 2400 winegrowers.
• 🌍 It carries the Delle Venezie label, that represents a blend of Veneto, Friuli and Trentino influences in one bottle.
• 💸 This Pinot Grigio is often sold as a high value everyday wine, frequently retailing for around or under ten US dollars.
• 🧡 Many reviews and producer notes describe a subtle coppery or golden tint, a warmer look than typical pale Pinot Grigio.
• 🤲 Grapes for Lunardi are sourced from small family farms, and the brand positions the wine as a tribute to the hands that grow and harvest the fruit.

Palate profile

Producer

Casa Lunardi is a commercial wine brand produced by Cantine Riondo, a large cooperative based in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. The Lunardi label was developed to offer approachable varietal wines such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot for domestic and export markets. The Casa Lunardi name is registered as a trademark and the wines are vinified and bottled at Cantine Riondo facilities near Monteforte d'Alpone, where the company works with many local growers. The brand is positioned for everyday drinking while drawing on the Soave and Delle Venezie wine traditions of the surrounding area.