Country: Italy  Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia  Vintage: 2018 Varietal: Pinot Grigio  Category: White Wine Producer: Ponte del Diavolo "This is an area in which we had struggled to find the wine we wanted, so decided to bring in Andrea Morlin to work alongside Alana McGettigan and Matt Thomson. The wines are made from fruit grown on the well-drained soils of Grave del Friuli and are fuller than those from Verona.The Ponte del Diavolo wines take their name from the spectacular medieval bridge in nearby Cividale. The story goes that the devil struck a bargain with the townspeople, promising to make them a bridge in return for the soul of the first living thing to cross it. The cunning citizens sent a dog or cat across, depending on the variation of the story, thereby saving themselves and gaining a wonderful bridge.The Pinot Grigio is excellent, with more weight than cheaper examples of this variety but with a similarly quaffable character. The Sauvignon is restrained and minerally. Though made in exactly the same way as a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, it truly reflects the area in which it is grown." Product Features: Vegan; Vegetarian Winemaker: Francesco Visentin Vineyards: The Pinot Grigio grapes for this wine are grown in vineyards in Grave del Friuli in the southern part of Friuli. The vines are grown on alluvial plains with stony soils. Vinification: After crushing, the must was chilled to 11-12°C and pressed gently to ensure no herbaceous aromas were extracted. Temperature-controlled fermentation using selected yeasts took place in stainless steel tanks between 12-14°C. Cold fermentation meant that the process could be drawn out to 30 days to increase perfume and complexity. The wine remained at 6°C in tank on the fine lees until bottling. This is a costly and time consuming process but plays a key role in contributing to the finesse and delicate aromatics of the finished wine. No carbon fining was used and the Pinot Grigio was sealed under screwcap to maximise freshness and eliminate cork taint. Tasting Notes: Light, bright lemon in colour, this wine showcases a lively, freshly cut pear and baked bread character on the nose. Aromatic, with good structure and body, it has lovely elegance on the palate with ripe pears, a touch of sherbet and a nutty note offset by the characteristic freshness of wines from Friuli. Food Suggestion: Fresh spring salads pair well with this wine, as well as elegant seafood dishes and soft cheeses. Closure: Stelvin  ABV:12.5%  Classification: DOC