Wine of the Week: 2004 Taz Pinot Gris, Santa Barbara

I know that I just wrote about margaritas, and now here I am writing about a wine in my next post, but I just couldn't wait to share this really interesting pick! The 2004 Taz Pinot Gris is around $15-$20 (depending upon where you live), so it is at the top of my usual $20-and-under price range, but I think it is a great wine, particularly for a special occasion that is calling for something a little more interesting. I was lucky enough to attend a tasting of Taz Vineyards wines a couple of months ago, and found this wine to be the most interesting of the wines we tasted, though all of the wines I had from this small-ish Santa Barbara County winery were good.

The 2004 Pinot Gris is a golden straw color, with aromas of lime and tropical fruit (the tasting notes mentioned lichee, but I couldn't pick that out in particular). It is a full-bodied, almost creamy wine, with a medium to long finish. The taste is exactly what you might expect based on the nose - also tropical. Upon first sip, I was greeted with the overwhelming taste of pineapple, which was followed by strong guava flavors, combined with bright green pear. This wine is pleasantly balanced and uniquely flavored - the perfect thing to try the next time you are looking for a white that is a little bit different.