RATING – 1 cork out of 5 Sometimes a wine is just a dog… Which in this case was a surprise, since I think other bottlings from this winery are a really good value. But a wine review has to be honest, so here’s what we thought of  Oxford Landing South Australia Pinot Grigio 2008.

After cracking the screw cap (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I stuck my nose in the glass the way I always do and smelled…nothing. When I really went to town with the swirling, I was able to discern some light mineral notes, and maybe a hint of pear. When I tasted this Pinot Grigio, even all my slurping and swishing couldn’t pull much flavor out of it. In its favor, though, it did finish nice and clean, although not as crisply as a Pinot Grigio should.

It kinda makes sense. South Australia is a region that’s had a reputation for producing a veritable sea of mediocre juice for brands such as Yellow Tail. While quality has improved, it’s still more suitable for warm-weather-loving grapes such as Shiraz and Grenache.  Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, flourishes in cool-climate northern Italy, right in the shadow of  The Alps. A vineyard manager would have to work awfully hard to get much acid and crispness out of South Australian fruit.

So we can’t give this much of a rating (I’d say one cork on a scale of one to five), or suggest that you grab a bottle and head for the patio. But you might want to try Oxford Landing’s GSM blend (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre). It’s fruity, rich, and soft and a good value to boot. Cheers!