Maldonado Vineyards is my most recent encounter with the growing number of Latino-owned wineries. All five of the Maldonado wines that I tasted were exceptional, but I kept returning for more Maldonado Pinot Gris Los Olivos 2012. We see very few pinot gris grown in Napa Valley, but the quality of this wine may encourage other vintners to consider it. This $27 white tastes like a delicious fruit salad – French Anjou pears, Chinese Meyer lemons, Georgia peaches and the all-American Golden Delicious apple – and it’s even better when sipped outside on a perfect spring afternoon. Find it at Lukas Liquor.
This article appears in May 2014.
