A bit of a surprise

Wine is not simply a drink, it is an experience. It is a combination of the body of the grapes, the soul of the terroir (the qualities of the soil, land, and region where the grapes grew), the whims of the weather, the vision of the winemaker, the expectations of the drinker, and the fullness of the moment when you drink it. With such in mind, I have tried for months to replicate my experience with the Pasqua Terre del Sol Bianco di Custoza. After a week on an Italian ship cruising the Caribbean, drinking this wine with every meal, I wanted to find something to rekindle those memories. That is why, when with surprise I found two wines from Pasqua, I had to try them. I will take a moment to explain the one most similar to the Bianco di Custoza.

Sometimes wine can surprise you. I thought I knew Pinot Grigio, but the Pasqua Vigneti del Sol Pinot Grigio Venezie 2006 was much more complex than I expected. It also held much more than I detected on my first taste. After a couple of tries, here is what I found. The first aroma that hits you is sour, like lemons. I also get a lot of apple and pear on the nose, with hints of green, unripe fruit. The is also a slight, muted floral note, which brings to mind the blossoms of a fruit tree in early spring--not quite yet coming to the forefront, but there to notice none the less. Finally, the nose has an almost imperceptible yeasty, alcoholic smell, which can only be compared to...beer. I noticed this once in a Portuguese Vinho Verde. Don't get me wrong, this wine does not openly smell like beer, but there are suggestions of that "beer" aroma in the distant background--very interesting. The taste is lemony citrus, but not overly acidic--like a mellow but unsweetened glass of homemade lemonade. The finish is harder to pin down. At first I want to continue the lemon theme and say it is sour, but it is really more bitter. It is more like lemon pith or grapefruit.

From the description I have given, you might at first think this is a horrible wine--sour aroma with a background of beer, unsweetened lemonade taste, and bitter finish. I'll have to admit, this was my first impression, but this wine (like so many) "grew" on me. I have had this experience before with Italian whites (like the Bianco di Custoza from Pasqua). In fact, in different ways I have found this with several European white wines. It may simply be that our American palates have grown used to a few distinct styles of white, and that the old world styles take a little getting used to. It may also be that some wines need a little more time than others to breathe and realize their full potential in the glass. Either way, in the end it is well worth the effort. I tried this wine one evening, and actually considered throwing it out. Instead, I sealed it closed, put it back in the chiller, and tried it the next day. What a difference! Where I had only seen blatant, sharp aromas and flavors the first day, I found the complexity described above on the second day. This demonstrates what I have found so many times: if you don't like a wine at first, seal it and try it the next day. You may be surprised what can happen when wine has time to breath and your palate has time to adjust to new flavors.

Did I replicate the experience I had on the ship? Not exactly. But did I grow to like this wine? Well, I think an empty bottle can answer that question...

Salute, amici!!!

Rojo, The Fretted Zither
...a wine blog from East Nashville