2012 Pullus Pinot Grigio

I picked up another interesting bottle at The Wine Feed in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Not a lot of Slovenian wines show up here in Memphis, and it was a dry rosé, so obviously I was intrigued.

Pinot Grigio is typically made as a white wine, but the grapes themselves can range from green to pink to dark blue, meaning that if the skins are pressed a darker wine can be produced. This particular specimen was a deep salmon color, darker than most rosés and even visible through the green glass of the bottle.

Pullus wines are made in Lower Styria, Slovenia by Ptujska Klet, which has been in operation since 1239. Not a little after noon today, we're talking about almost 800 years ago. Although not as well known outside of the region, there are more than 28,000 wineries in Slovenia, with almost all production consumed domestically. I'm always excited to try something like this that managed to find its way across the world.

2012 Pullus Pinot Grigio
Štajerska, Slovenia
100% Pinot Grigio
$15, 13.5% abv.

Remarkably light body for such a dark rosé, with gentle raspberry notes on the nose and a round mouthfeel. Balanced acidity and just a touch of acidity on the finish. It would be quite good with a smoked turkey sandwich full of bleu cheese and alfalfa sprouts. I know that's rather specific, but I happen to be craving that combination right now.