Fantinel Tenuta Sant'Helena Pinot Grigio 2015
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James
Suckling
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James Suckling
A lovely pinot grigio with sliced apples, honey and hints of mangoes on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, pretty fruit and a bright and clean finish. Drink now.
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2021-
James
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James
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Fantinel was founded in 1969, when restaurateur and hotelier, Paron Mario Fantinel, acquired his first vineyards in the Collio area of northern Friuli. With now the third generation represented by Marco, Stefano, and Mariaelena, what started as a small agricultural company has become an internationally prestigious winery and ambassador of Friulian wine-making throughout the world. The philosophy of Fantinel is to employ passion, tradition, and innovation through a close bond with the origins and ancestral wisdom of Friuli, producing wines that embrace excellence and offer real emotions that convey the authenticity of the land.
Fantinel comprises a stunning lineup: beautiful sparkling wines, Borgo Tesis, the distinct estate of Tenuta Sant’Helena, and the crown jewel La Roncaia. Gaining success in over 90 countries at top-level, prestigious restaurants and specialized shops, Fantinel’s rapidly growing success is confirmed by remarkable reviews received by international press.
With over 300 hectares of vineyards divided into the renowned DOC Grave, Prosecco, and Collio zones, these unique terroirs and privileged areas with microclimates are ideal for the best maturation of the fruits and the highest expression of each vine variety, especially the valuable indigenous grapes. In addition, the Fantinel concept of wine-making includes the investments in cutting-edge technological solutions bolstering production with an environmentally sustainable approach — from the revolutionary fertilisation-irrigation system and the clonal selections in laboratory, to the advanced system of thermoregulation of steel tanks and the immense propriety of precious wood barrels. Fantinel’s “a-viticulture” features vines that grow according to natural rhythms, on the basis of the respect of the plant vegetative cycle and balance, giving birth to rich fruits and, naturally, to majestic wines.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
The source of some of Italy’s best and most distinctive white wines, Friuli-Venezia Giulia is where Italian, Germanic and Slavic cultures converge. The styles of wines produced in this region of Italy's far north-east reflect this merging of cultures. Often shortened to just “Friuli,” the area is divided into many distinct subzones, including Friuli Grave, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Collio Goriziano and Carso. The flat valley of Friuli Grave is responsible for a large proportion of the region’s wine production, particularly the approachable Pinot grigio and the popular Prosecco. The best vineyard locations are often on hillsides, as in Colli Orientali del Friuli or Collio. In general, Friuli boasts an ideal climate for viticulture, with warm sunny days and chilly nights, which allow grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.
In Colli Orientali, the specialty is crisp, flavorful white wine made from indigenous varieities like Friulano (formerly known as Tocai Friulano), Ribolla gialla and Malvasia Istriana.
Red wines, though far less common here, can be quite good, especially when made from the deeply colored, rustic Refosco variety. In Collio Goriziano, which abutts Slovenia, many of the same varieties are planted. International varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are also common, but they tend to be Loire-like in style with herbaceous character and mellow tannins. Carso’s star grape is the red Teranno, notable for being rich in iron content and historically consumed for health purposes. It has an earthy, meaty profile and is often confused with the distinct variety Refosco.