Perusini Romato Pinot Grigio

Perusini Romato Pinot Grigio is a copper-skinned expression of Pinot Grigio from the high-altitude vineyards of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, made distinct by a five-day cryomaceration that extracts phenolic compounds most producers discard. Where standard Pinot Grigio is pressed quickly for pale, neutral wine, Perusini extends skin contact at low temperature to pull color, tannin, and aromatic complexity from the grape skins, resulting in a wine that sits somewhere between white and orange. This is Pinot Grigio with structure, the kind of bottle that asks you to reconsider what the varietal can do when treated with intention rather than industrial efficiency. The Perusini family has farmed estate vineyards in the Colli Orientali del Friuli since the early twentieth century, working hillside plots where diurnal temperature swings and mineral-rich marl soils favor slow ripening and aromatic retention. The Romato—meaning copper-colored in Italian—is harvested by hand from high-elevation sites, then held in contact with the skins for five days at controlled cold temperatures to extract pigment and phenolic weight without bitterness. The result is a wine that carries the floral lift of classic Pinot Grigio but adds the grip and body typically associated with skin-contact whites, all while maintaining a bright acid line that keeps the wine from tipping into heaviness. The nose opens with white peach, pear skin, and a thread of wildflower honey, followed by a palate that shows more texture than most expect from Pinot Grigio—there is a light tannic grip on the mid-palate, a consequence of those phenolic extracts, alongside flavors of Bartlett pear, dried apricot, and a faint note of orange zest. The copper color signals what to expect: this is not a porch-pounder but a wine with enough structure to sit at the table alongside roast chicken with herb butter, grilled branzino, or mushroom risotto. Serve it slightly warmer than you would a conventional white—55 degrees brings out the aromatic complexity without flattening the acidity. Available for pickup at Off Premise Chicago, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, with local Chicago delivery and nationwide shipping.