Posted By Joel on April 16, 2010

Cantina Terlan Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2008, DOC

Tonight, my wife caught me with my hands all over Fiona. That’s what we call our refrigerator. Fiona Frigidaire, actually. At that point, there was no turning back: we had to make it a threesome.

At first, it was all hands and lots of clumsy grabbing. But, nature eventually took its course and, given the situation, we found what we were after:

thin sliced speck, a wedge of cave aged Gruyere cheese, Normandy butter, and a tin of smoked oysters from the cabinet.

2008’s Terlan Alto Adige Pinot Grigio spilled from bottle into big Bordeaux glasses and, for a moment, connected both with a pretty trail of straw yellow.

Born in the sandy soil around Terlano, Italy, Terlan Pinot Grigio is produced by the spectacular Alto Adige cooperative of Cantina Terlan. Approximately 100 growers and 150 production hectares comprise the Terlan cooperative whose wines could model a “what’s unique about Alto Adige” wine study. And please…don’t worry about the cooperative thing… well known as one of Italy’s top producers, Cantina Terlan will not let you down in the quality department.

The melon fruit character of Terlan’s Pinot Grigio played deliciously well against the speck. Notes of peach, pear and apple were super counterpoint to the Gruyere, with a hint of almond echoing the Gruyere’s nuttiness. The wine’s round, creamy palate made mad harmony with Normandy butter on French bread creating a super-sensual mouthfeel, while crisp acidity and minerality were appreciated with bites of smoked oyster.

Anyway, I looked around the room now, suddenly aware of us in it, a nearly snapshot effect: leather sandals on the floor, her ankle socks, the candle burning on a low marble and wood table, stacks of books, the Beatles playing in the background. We laughed about always being a bit short of money and about the $163.00 dollar speeding ticket she had gotten today.

I poured a bit more for both of us. I felt lucky.

START / SHUTDOWN.

Lights out.

[ Fiona humming softly ]

$

Categories: $ (Under $25), Alto Adige, Wine
Tags: Pinot