Montevina Terra d'Oro Santa Barbara County Pinot Grigio 2006

The 2006 Montevina Terra d'Oro Pinot Grigio is born on the steep, well-drained hills of the estate's Los Alamos Vineyard in sunny Santa Barbara County. With well-drained soils, natural methods of production, and plenty of tender loving care, Montevina has fashioned an outstanding New World Pinot Grigio that wears a handsome straw-colored robe and recalls the rarified light of Santa Barbara. Bright, clean, flavorful, and surprisingly well-structured, this Pinot Grigio offers a beguiling bouquet and flavor of citrus blossoms, mineral, coconut and pineapple that enliven the senses and glide over the palate. Long and lovely in the mouth, the Terra d'Oro Pinot Grigio provides more flavor and character than one is accustomed to finding in Pinot Grigio. Moreover, it finishes with both verve and subtle complexity. Wow! Enjoy this magical Pinot Grigio moderately chilled (40° F).

The fruits of the California Coast, both onshore and offshore, provide outstanding accompaniments to the 2006 Montevina Terra d'Oro Pinot Grigio. Bold enough to hold up to crab—steamed, stuffed, or wrapped in a dip—the Terra d'Oro Pinot Grigio does not suffer from the wimp factor that afflicts some members of Pinot Grigio family. Consequently, clams, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and almost anything that swims, will pair well with this wine. Steam or stir fry some fresh garden vegetables and one needs nothing more than a clean glass to provide a perfect accompaniment. And if you haven't gotten around to cooking anything, don't worry. The 2006 Montevina Terra d'Oro Pinot Grigio can hold court by itself, and it will shine as brightly on the tongue as it does in the glass, without a morsel. Enjoy!

Montevina is one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in California. Set amid the foothills of the Sierra Mountains, Montevina lies at the heart of California's "Gold Rush Country." However, today Montevina is best known for its liquid gold in the form of excellent Syrah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Pinot Grigio, and other Italian grape varieties from Santa Barbara County as well as the Amador foothills. The Trinchero family has owned Montevina since 1988, but this winery's passion for growing outstanding fruit and producing many of California's finest Rhône and Italian style varietals dates back even further to the 1960's. And since 1986 Jeff Meyers, unquestionably one of the most experienced California winemakers with Italian varietals, has been the General Manager and guiding force behind Montevina's huge success. Possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the region's viticulture along with a knack for fashioning distinctive Mediterranean varietals that possess elegance as well as fabulous flavor, Jeff is one of the first California winemakers to be enormously successful with Mediterranean varieties. Montevina's Barbera, Pinot Grigio Sangiovese, Syrah, and Zinfandel, produced under the Terra d'Oro label, create a benchmark portfolio for these varieties that would be hard to find elsewhere. And unlike most of the wines from this estate's competitors, Montevina's wines are produced from a high percentage of old vines. Trinchero Family Estates and Environmental Leadership Montevina is an integral part of Trinchero Family Estates. Trinchero Family Estates (TFE) is a leader in the employment of sustainable methods of agriculture, re-cycling, and green land management. Trinchero Family Estates employs only sustainable, organic, and biodynamic practices in their estate vineyards, which include Montevina. They eschew the use of potentially harmful chemicals and work with the state of California and other vineyards to develop healthy, natural alternatives to harsh chemicals. No chemical pesticides or herbicides are used at TFE and natural ground covers such as barley and clover prevail throughout all the estate vineyards. Furthermore, botanical oils and natural predators take the place of potentially hazardous chemicals. TFE, also, recycles 50 million gallons of water annually and re-cycles 20 tons of office paper, 850 tons of cardboard, and 100 tons of plastic each year. All proceeds from recycling revert to TFE's employees in the form of an employee-in-need fund. In addition, Trinchero has planted over 3,000 oak trees near their vineyards and created extensive greenbelts and lakes to improve the natural environment. Not surprisingly, Trinchero Family Estates has received California's Waste Reduction Awards Programs (W.R.A.P.) Award for seven consecutive years.