2011 Chateau Julien 'Barrel Selected' Monterey County Pinot Grigio

About This Wine

At Chateau Julien, Pinot Grigio is all about freshness.

Winemaker Bill Anderson has been crafting Pinot Grigio at the Central Coast of California estate since 1998 — the same year that the “Barrel Selected” label was added to the portfolio. Pinot Grigio was the perfect variety for the line, which typically features wines with mild tannins and forward fruit.

Most of the “Barrel Selected” wines are aged in French or American oak barrels — but not the Pinot Grigio. After a cold fermentation using Pris de Mousse yeast, the wine is placed in stainless steel tanks so that only the flavors of the grapes are captured and retained. After six months in stainless steel, the Pinot Grigio is bottled.

“This process assures that our Pinot Grigio is consistently clean and straightforward upon release,” Anderson notes. The 2011 vintage carries on that tradition. Made from grapes grown in Monterey County, the wine is clean, light and engagingly fresh.

About Pinot Grigio

In northeast Italy it makes a light, crisp and neutral wine. In Alsace it can be a delicately perfumed, honey-flavored wine, either dry or sweet, and with more color than most whites.

Tasting Notes

• Grape Composition:100% Pinot Grigio
• Grape Source:Monterey County Growing Region of California
• Aromas & Flavors:Lemon, Toast, Apple and Summer Melon
• Aging Vessels:Stainless Steel Tanks for 6 Months
• When to Drink:Now Through 2013
• Food Pairing Suggestionshrimp salad, or seared scallops.

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