2019 Conti Beretta Pinot Grigio Friuli 750 ml

Northeastern Italy is the epicenter of Pinot Grigio, and few wineries make a better under-$20 rendition than Conti Beretta from Cantina di Bertiolo, a historic producer in the heart of Friuli. 

Crisp and bright with delightfully peachy fruit, it’s a classic example of the ever-present tiny glasses of white wine—called tajut—that fuel the eating and drinking culture of the region.

With the warm, breezy Adriatic Sea on one side and the cold, towering Dolomite Alps on the other, Friuli’s climate is ideal for growing white wines that combine succulent fruit and springtime verve. The Conti Beretta Pinot Grigio is a fantastic example. It’s one of the most charming bottles we’ve had all year.

Pouring a glass, we’re immediately transported back to a sunny afternoon dining al fresco in the green, rolling hills outside Udine. The nose is pristine, with inviting scents of lemon zest, tree-ripened nectarines, delicate sage, and a hint of sea spray. It previews a palate that’s delightfully balanced between weight and refreshment, with a mélange of citrus flavors alongside white stone-fruit and a bright, mineral finish.

This is the platonic ideal of an all-purpose white wine: Rich and fruity enough to make a delicious glass on its own, but zippy enough to pair with nearly anything we could want to eat alongside a glass of white, from crisp salads dolloped with goat cheese to smoked lemon-pepper chicken.

Cantina di Bertiolo was founded in 1960, when historic farming families in Friuli’s Grave district banded together to invest in a shared winery—and it continues to be a standard-bearer today. Grave is one of the most important growing areas in the region, named for its trademark gravel soils, which eroded off of the Dolomite mountains over millennia.

Those soils provide excellent drainage, forcing the vine roots to dig deep, while the nearby Adriatic Sea contributes warm breezes that are balanced by cool night air coming down from the mountains. It’s a perfect environment for Pinot Grigio to ripen to luscious perfection while retaining a bright acidity that keeps the finished wine refreshing.

While it’s easy to imagine you’re in Italy when you’re drinking this, it’s more than an excellent companion to your own back porch, a sunset, and a rocking chair or two. This is shaping up to be a summer favorite, and we couldn’t stock up enough.