When we evaluate our wines, our process boils down to two essential elements: the nose and the palette. In our experience, wines that deliver on one aspect tend to follow through on the other. However, there are exceptions to the rule. One of those exceptions is the Firesteed 2014 Pinot Grigio.
After the initial pour, this Pinot Grigio exuded aromas of pear and white peaches with faint scents of pineapples over a slightly honeyed chalkiness. With 25 minutes of decanting, light struck-white-flint minerality, pear blossoms, and lanolin join the initial aromas. There's even a curious and subtle whiff of soft rubber like a white eraser or beach ball.
This profoundly complex aromatic profile had us confident that we were about to depart on an equally impressive journey on the palate. Sadly, this Pinot Grigio simply did not deliver on the palate. We found the wine to be linear and dominated by tart, energetic lemon and peach flavors.
What the wine did offer on the palate, it did so quite well, but it paled in comparison to our aroma influenced expectations. We at Kats disagree with Wine Review's 94 point score. This wine may certainly be a 94 on the nose, but with its linear palette, we feel that a 90 would be more appropriate.
That in mind, this wine does have a place. For warm days on the patio or for those who truly enjoy dissecting the complexity of a wine's aromas and want an energetic, refreshing palate, the 2014 Firesteed Pinot Grigio may still be a fair shake at $16.98.
- Andrew Dunaway, Jimm Brumley, and Tasho Katsaboulas
