I visited the Alto Penedés region near Barcelona to try cavas and when I pulled up at the Freixenet winery (in a brand new Mercedes) they told me, rather rudely, to go away. So I did – to Codorníu, the region’s other major producer. I was warmly welcomed, given a tour and a tasting… I honestly haven’t born a grudge ever since. A few years ago Freixenet expanded their range to include a Prosecco in a lattice cut-glass effect bottle. It was distinctive and sold well. They have continued to diversify and have persisted with the same style of bottle. I think this was a wise move as cava’s popularity wanes even in Spain (in 2019 a number of producers dropped the Cava name entirely and rebranded their product as ‘Corpinnat’) . Pinot Grigio marches on as the World’s favourite white wine grape. My local supermarket stocks as many as 30 different types – this is at the top end of the price range: is it any good – or is it style over substance? I was surprised…

Tasting notes: It’s appearance is pale lemon in colour. Citrus notes on the nose. Well balanced. Medium finish. Medium body. Some complexity on the palate; citrus and stone fruit flavours. Short to medium finish.

Region of Origin – Garda
Wine Colour – White
Price – £9
Where do I get it from? Sainsbury’s (widely available)
Current Vintage – 2019
Producer – Freixienet
Grape – Pinot Grigio
Country – Italy

Verdict – Good wine, if a tad overpriced.

Food Pairings: This would work well with pizza, salads and grilled fish dishes. You can compare this with many other Pinot Grigios reviewed on this site – put ‘Pinot Grigio’ into the search box on the ‘Home’ page or click the ‘Pinot Grigio’ tag below.