The Terregaie Claris Pinot Grigio 2023, della Venezia, will have you saying, “Where have you been all my life?” By which I mean, this is a pinot grigio unlike the vast sea of ordinary pinot grigio pumped out in the northeastern reaches of Italy.
The 120-acre estate is operated by Salvatore Lovo, his wife Rita Ferasin and their daughter, Silvia. The family’s roots in the province of Padova go back to the 18th Century. Their location is in Vo’, at the western edge of the Euganian Hills. The Terregaie vineyards lie at about 400 meters elevation — some 1,312 feet — and are farmed sustainably and organically. This pinot grigio was made in stainless steel tanks.
The color is pale straw-gold; aromas of heather, lemon and lemon peel, grapefruit and cloves yield to notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, lemon drop and talc, with a touch of damp limestone; there’s so much texture here, so much inherent structure that you would swear the wine had a bit of oak aging, even neutral oak, but that’s not the case — as I said, this is all stainless steel; so, acidity that’s fleet and dynamic, pulsing through lemon and quince flavors highlighted by a hint of peach, aiming at a finish packed with dried mountain herbs, flint and oyster shell salinity. Drink through 2025 or ‘26 with all manner of fresh or grilled fish or shellfish. Excellent. About $17, a Great Bargain.
Matchvino Imports, Sharon, Conn. A local purchase.