Zilzie Pinot Grigio vs Monte Campo Pinot Grigio

This wasnt meant to be any sort of pepsi challenge but that's what it turned into.

We opened the 2007 Zilzie Pinot Grigio from Karadoc in Victoria and were immediately confused. Not by the pinkish hue which sometimes comes through this type of wine buy by the flavours. It tasted green, tart, a load of acid, too much as it was probably picked too early and the fruit hadn't ripened enough. The back label promised us that it would be bursting citrus and fresh pear flavours. There were no pears and the citrus we received was lemon peel at best. All in all very disappointing. We paid $12, but doesn't matter what it cost, I wouldn't buy it again!

Then I got to thinking, Pinot Grigio is supposed to be drunk while its young and fresh. Was two years from vintage simply too long? What if i compared it to another Pinot Grigio of the same age? So I went hunting through the cellar. Behold I have found one from Italy that is actually 1 year older, and the Italians allow oxidation of the fruit during winemaking so if anything it would be even more dull if 2 years plus is too long for Pinot Grigio. Thus our journey now takes us to the Delle Venezie region which is on the gulf of Venice and borders onto Austria in the North and Slovenia in the East.

Monte Campo 2006 Delle venezie Pinot Grigio

Wow! what a difference. The nose and palate had distinctive smoky flint, delicious fruit flavours of monsteria delicioso, longan and lychee. The texture was a touch oily, something you usually get when this grape is made into the Pinot gris style which often ends up more fruity rather than crisp. This wine was a bit of both. We looked at the Zilzie, poured it down the sink and went out to buy some more of the Monte campo.

Paid $14 in 2008, worth every cent, a great example of Pinot Grigio from the country of the style's origin and proof that you don't have to drink Pinot Grigio the week it was bottled.