Folonari Pinot Grigio-Sauvignon Blanc 2002
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BOUQUET: Fragrant and fresh, with notes of honey and exotic fruits: melon, banana, and hints of figs and nettle leaves.
TASTE: Dry, crisp and harmonious, tasting of exotic fruits and herbs.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Perfect match for light starters, white meat, seafood, and shellfish, or enjoyed as an aperitif.
Folonari was founded in 1825 by Francesco Folonari. The company and vineyards first grew in Valmonica in the Veneto region of Italy. In the laterhalf of the 19th century, Francesco and his sons moved to Brescia in the verdant alpine foothills between Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, establishing one of Italy’s finest winemaking facilities and securing a worldwide reputation for quality.From the very beginning, the Folonari family wanted to create wines accessible to everyday tables. They pioneered the production and distribution of wine in bottles, which made it easier for people to enjoy consistently high-quality wine whenever the mood struck. A bottle from the Folonari winery made on one day was certain to be just as excellent as a bottle produced the next, or in a few weeks, or in a few months. This philosophy of bringing exceptional wines to everyday occasions continues to guide Folonari today.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Producing every style of wine and with great success, the Veneto is one of the most multi-faceted wine regions of Italy.
Veneto's appellation called Valpolicella (meaning “valley of cellars” in Italian) is a series of north to south valleys and is the source of the region’s best red wine with the same name. Valpolicella—the wine—is juicy, spicy, tart and packed full of red cherry flavors. Corvina makes up the backbone of the blend with Rondinella, Molinara, Croatina and others playing supporting roles. Amarone, a dry red, and Recioto, a sweet wine, follow the same blending patterns but are made from grapes left to dry for a few months before pressing. The drying process results in intense, full-bodied, heady and often, quite cerebral wines.
Soave, based on the indigenous Garganega grape, is the famous white here—made ultra popular in the 1970s at a time when quantity was more important than quality. Today one can find great values on whites from Soave, making it a perfect choice as an everyday sipper! But the more recent local, increased focus on low yields and high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone, now called Soave Classico, gives the real gems of the area. A fine Soave Classico will exhibit a round palate full of flavors such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas and a sapid, fresh, mineral-driven finish.
Much of Italy’s Pinot grigio hails from the Veneto, where the crisp and refreshing style is easy to maintain; the ultra-popular sparkling wine, Prosecco, comes from here as well.