Wine Trio: Ara New Zealand 2011 Pinot Gris
We're trying something a little different today! We've got three great wines to tell you about, and we're splitting up the piece so that each bottle can get a little extra individual attention. Let us know what you think of this format as we spotlight each vino in turn, and sample these great late summer and early fall finds. All of them are award winners in their respective categories, and solid values.
The first in today's series was a light, bright Sauvignon Blanc from the US. We now spin the globe and land across the world in New Zealand. The Ara 2011 Single Estate Pinot Gris is from the Marlborough region, not far from a pair from another vineyard that we talked about late last month. Winner of a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Wine Competition, this one is a limited release that's more or less impossible to get here in the USA- and, more excitingly, the very first one of this varietal from the winery!
We loved the torn, mountainous label, and the unique logo, and even the bottle had a classy stamp. With Pinot Gris, and especially newer ones, you're looking at at nose with pear and nectarine, and a little sweet honeysuckle floral note, and this one offered all of the above with a definite herbal bite and balanced sweetness. We paired it against a pasta salad, with some fresh garden spinach and peppers, and the Pinot Gris was a great counterpoint to the creamy, sour flavors, brightening the food and offering a bit of sparkle without being overwhelming. If you're in New Zealand or Australia, definitely check this one out- or perhaps try to find Ara's other well-regarded wines!
About the Author
Greg Greg dreamed up the idea for the Truly Network while living in Hawaii, which began with a single site called TrulyObscure. In 2010, when advertisers and readers were requesting coverage beyond the scope of that site, TrulyNet was launched, reaching a broader audience over a variety of niche sites. Formerly the head technology correspondent for the Des Moines Register at age 16, he has since lived and worked in five states and two countries, helping a list of organizations and companies that includes the United States Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Events Photo Group, Berlitz, and Computer Geeks. He also served as the Content Strategy Manager for HearPlanet, a multi-platform app that has reached over a million users and has been featured in the New York Times, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Fox Business News, PC Magazine, and even Apple’s own iPhone ads. Greg has written as a restaurant critic and feature journalist for a number of national and international publications, including City Weekend Magazine, Red Egg Magazine, the Newton Daily News, Capital Change Magazine, and an arm of China Daily, Beijing Weekend. In addition, he has served as a consulting editor for the Foreign Language Press of Beijing, as well as a writer and editor for the George Washington University Hatchet, the school newspaper of his alma mater. Originally from Iowa, Greg is currently living in the West Village of Manhattan.
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