Riff Pinot Grigio

This top-value Pinot Grigio reflects the expertise of the acclaimed Alois Lageder winery, who produces RIFF together with their partner growers from mountain vineyards in the Veneto region of Italy. The name, RIFF, comes from the German word for reef, reflecting the ancient oceanic origins of the Dolomites; where the rugged Northern Italian Alps lie today, there was once, 220 million years ago, an ocean filled with colorful coral reefs. As the sea retreated over the course of millions of years fossilized coral reefs turned into an impressive mountain landscape. Today the rock layers are still full of hidden fossils, such as crabs, mussels, and the nautilus, telling of a time gone by. Austrian illustrator Nanna Prieler designed the RIFF wine labels, using the Nautilus to tell the story, she created individual motifs for each of the six segments of the Nautilus shell. Like a puzzle, they fit together on the label to create a story, from the ocean into the glass.