Kendall Jackson Vintner Pinot Gris

Kendall-Jackson's Vintner Pinot Gris is a California white at 13.5% ABV. Pinot Gris is a grape that can turn out either lean and mineral or round and broad, and California bottlings usually sit in between. Expect a pale straw-to-lemon colour and a nose of citrus, ripe pear and white peach. Distributor notes point to citrus and tropical fruit, so lime, grapefruit and a little pineapple or melon would not be out of place. Wines in this style are typically dry to off-dry, light to medium in body, with brisk acidity and almost no tannin. They are normally made without oak influence, so the fruit and acidity drive the wine and the finish tends to be clean and fairly short. The brisk acidity makes it a good match for food. It suits shellfish, grilled shrimp, ceviche, fish tacos and simply cooked white fish with lemon. It also works with salads that have a vinaigrette or goat cheese, soft cheeses such as fresh mozzarella or young chèvre, and chicken or pork with a light herb sauce. If a dish has some heat, such as Thai green curry, Vietnamese rolls or a mildly spiced stir-fry, any fruit sweetness in the wine will take the edge off the spice better than a drier, more austere white would. Heavy cream sauces and char-grilled red meat are better left to a fuller wine. Serve it well chilled, around 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). That is about three hours in the refrigerator, or thirty minutes in an ice bucket if you are short on time. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the wine feel looser and less focused. There is no reason to decant, since a wine like this is built for freshness and the fruit does not need air to open up. A standard white wine glass with a moderate bowl and a slightly narrowed rim is the right choice. It holds the citrus and orchard-fruit aromas without letting them fade, and it keeps the wine cooler in the hand than a wide red glass would. This is a drink-now bottle. Pinot Gris at this level is made for its first few years, when the fruit is at its brightest, and extra cellar time is unlikely to add anything. Keep it somewhere cool and out of direct light until you are ready to chill it. Once opened, re-cork it and keep it in the refrigerator, and it will hold its character for a few days.