Pale straw-yellow color; flowers, citrus on delightfully delicate nose; pineapple, citrus, peach, green melon, lemon-lime on the palate.
Light, dry, nicely crisp and refreshing, good acidity (3.37 pH). Easy drinker for informal occasions around the pool, also with some fruit or light fare at lunch or light dinner. It does not offer much depth or regional personality, but certainly works when you want a simple, easily approachable wine at nice price.
This is 20th anniversary of this Gallo product; Ecco Domani means “Here’s Tomorrow” in Italian, BTW. It is made from grapes harvested in the Tre Venezie region of northeast Italy—Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia. As with almost all makers of pinot grigio, Gallo has enjoyed remarkable success with this entry-level effort, selling more than 162 million bottles since its launch in 1996. Overall, wine sales in the pinot grigio category now top 10.4 million bottles, up from 384,000 in 1998. You should be able to find this offering and its exuberant label almost anywhere.
Fabrizio Gatto is the winemaker. He says his goal is “to combine brisk acidity, inviting aromas, moderate alcohol and a high level of food compatibility in all of the wines I craft.” He has been the head winemaker at Ecco Domani since the winery’s founding in 1995, making this a marriage of one talented winemaker’s vision and skills with Gallo’s marketing power and global reach.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT 2015 is made with 94% pinot grigio grapes with 6% chardonnay added to boost freshness and acidity. Nice-for-price effort. $9-12
Second photo: Ecco Domani winemaker Fabrizio Gatto.
