Holding on to Summer with a Trio of Pinot Grigio Wines and Seafood Pairings #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Albino Armani.

Complimentary wine was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.

However, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Last month, a few of us took part in a webinar about Albino Armani* wines; I had received a nice trio of wines and was excited dive right in to my guided exploration. Graziel mille to Susannah of Avvinare for coordinating! 

I am a Pinot-girl all the way. Pinot Noirs are some of my favorite reds all year long but, during the summer months, I adore sipping chilled glasses of Pinot Grigio.  I am excited to hold on to Summer for a little bit longer with these wines and some fresh seafood pairings. 

Pinot Grigio thrives in the 'Triveneto' - Veneto, Fruili Venezia Giulia, and Trentino - and the eponymous Albino Armani is a Pinot Grigio specialist. And all of his grapes are certified SQNPI (in English it's the National Quality System for Integrated Production). Let's jump right in to the Pinot Grigio pool...

 Pinot Grigio Corvara - Valdadige DOC

From the Southern part of Valdadige, this is a single estate wine is made from grapes grown near the ancient fortress names Corvara. In the glass, it poured an iced straw color. On the nose, this wine boasted aromas of green apple, honeysuckle, grass, and a hint of spices. On the palate, the wine delivered on all that the aromas promised with an added minerality. I knew it would be a great match for oven roasted fish. I didn't use apples, but fennel has a favorite pairing with apples for me, so I went with that.

You can see a similar version in my Oven Roasted Black Bass, Roasted Trout with Aji Dulce Peppers, or Sesame Citrus Oven-Roasted Trout.

Pinot Grigio Colle Ara DOC Terradeiforti

This beauty - Pinot Grigio Colle Ara DOC Terradeiforti -  is made within the National Park of Lessina. The grapes are trained using the Guyot system on the limestone soils of Colle Ara. This wine pours an almost rose-gold with wild aromas from honeydew to roses and all sorts of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine leaned more full-bodied with a bright acidity to keep it balanced.

I paired this wine with an earthiness of roasted cauliflower and the brightness of marinated octopus salad. The process is similar to this Frutti di Mare, sort of like an Italian ceviche. 

Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie DOC

 

The third Pinot Grigio I poured from Albino Armani was the most typical in my mind with notes of  crisp pear and apple with a delicate creaminess that might come from wood aging. I am unsure of that, but there was a similarity with the weightiness of this wine and some oak-aged Chardonnays I have tried before.

To compliment that creaminess, I opted for some steamed mussels and buttered corn. The mussels were prepared similarly to these Apple-Kissed Mussels except I used a white wine instead of hard cider and skipped the apple chunks; but the process was the same.

The Pinot Grigio Specialist

It was an absolute treat to make the acquaintance of Albino Armani’s Pinot Grigios with their beautiful aromas and flavors. And you have to admire a winemaker who values and uses indigenous yeasts that are perfectly adapted to the individual climates of the different vineyards. He has certainly earned the moniker of a Pinot Grigio Specialist. 

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*Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of wine samples for recipe development and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.