Pinot grigios are improving thanks to strict Italian regulations

Pinot grigio from northeastern Italy has long been one of the most popular wine styles in the U.S., thanks to itsinherent deliciousness, slurpability, andability to refresh the senses in warm weather. However, these wines have also suffered from their own success by earning a poor reputation for quality. Over the past three decades, a number of factors have combined to erode trust in Italy’s entire pinot grigio category.

There have always been top-notch Italian vintners making great wines with this grape of French origin, most notably in the three regions surrounding Venice, the Veneto, Trentino, and Friuli-Venizie Giulia. Here, the sub-Alpine terrain and coastal climate result in delicate white wines with brisk acidity and low alcohol. However, a combination of high demand and low price tolerance created a race to the bottom where there was an endless appetite for cheap pinot grigio from this region. For years, lax regulatory standards led to that demand being met by fraudulent means. Millions of bottles labeled as “pinot grigio delle Venezie” but containing lesser wines found their way into the world market, diluting the region’s reputation for quality.

Nowadays, the situation is much improved thanks to stricter regulations for the delle Venezie appellation. The upgrade to Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or D.O.C. status gives us confidence that wines sporting the D.O.C.’s traceable seals will showcase the true character of this cool-climate region.

For example, this stylish brand is a reliable source of crisp, dry, and clean-tasting refreshment with flavors of golden apples, kiwi fruit, and green pears, and ranks among the top-selling pinot grigios in the U.S. as a result.

$10.99; 12.5% alcohol

PLCB Item #8658

Sale price through May 1 – regularly $13.99

Also available at:

Canal’s Liquors in Pennsauken, $9.21, canalsliquors.com; Gloucester City Bottlestop in Gloucester City, $9.49, bottlestopnj.com; Total Wine & More in Wilmington and Claymont, Del., $9.99, www.totalwine.com.