*** I received this wine as a sample. ***

Thursday marked the one-week return to work after spending two weeks in Italy, and, oh, do I miss Italy.  Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do for a living, and thankfully, a year+ into my “new” job, I’m still loving it.  However, I much rather be in Rome or Florence.  So, after work on Thursday, I went for a 5-mile run to get myself back in the routine. Admittedly, the run took a lot out of me because, with the exception of a 3.5 mile run on Tuesday that was torturous, I hadn’t run for three weeks.  The holidays and vacation got in the way, and I paid for it.

After the run, Hubby made some pan-fried tilapia for dinner, and I decided that downloading pictures from our trip was the best way to deal with my sore legs and post-vacation blues.  Of course, I couldn’t tackle the over 2000 photos without some Italian vino, so I opened a Pinot Grigio.

2011 Castello Banfi “Le Rime” Pinot Grigio

The 2011 Castello Banfi Le Rime Pinot Grigio (winery) was a pale straw yellow with greenish flecks.  On the nose, there were pears and yellow grapefruits.  In the mouth, there were yellow grapefruits, pears, and white flowers.  The wine had a light body with bright acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed.  At an SRP of $10, this wine was a pleasant surprise.  Honestly, I don’t tend to be a Pinot Grigio fan because I find they often are all acid with little flavor.  When I drink Pinot Grigios, I usually am left wondering why I wasted the time on the wine.  Clearly, I’ve not been drinking the right ones.  Le Rime had subtle flavors that were noticeable and pleasing on their own, while not overpowering the lighter flavors of the tilapia that Hubby made.  At the same time, the acidity of the wine helped to cut the oil from pan-frying the fish, keeping the meal very light and fresh tasting, while also enhancing the wine.  The pairing was very enjoyable.  This wine doesn’t offer anything out-of-this-world, but you can do a lot worse, particularly at this price point.  All in all, it was a solid wine with an outstanding quality:price ratio.

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Question of the Day: Are you a fan of Pinot Grigio or do you tend to gravitate towards other white wines?

Suggested Retail Price: $10
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3.5 Corks