The 2007 Pinot Grigio wafts from the glass with ethereal notes of dried cherries, tobacco, sweet spices and flowers. It shows lovely balance in an understated, feminine style that is undeniably appealing. This is yet another highly intriguing wine from La Castellada. I am not sure La Castellada has totally figured out the style of Pinot Grigio they want to make, but the 2007 is a big improvement over the 2006. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. It’s great to see the Bensa family making wines of such distinction from their hillside vineyards in the heart of Collio. Quality and consistency have both been on the rise over the last few years under the leadership of Stefano Bensa. The 2007s were macerated from 4 days to 2 months on the skins and aged predominantly in cask. Bensa describes 2007 as a year with an early harvest, much like 2001. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

The 2006 Pinot Grigio is one of the richer Pinot Grigios being made with skin contact. I love the power and depth the estate is able to achieve, unfortunately the level of volatile acidity is tough to handle. With a little more attention, this could be and should be a rock star wine. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014. La Castellada, a small family-run winery in Oslavia, has been on a serious tear over the last few years. With one exception, this is another gorgeous set of wines from the Bensa family.Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

The 2005 Pinot Grigio is a decidedly layered white that blossoms on the palate with notable richness. Some of the weight in the fruit seems to have been achieved with a loss of aromatics, but the wine shows lovely balance in a big style. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2013. This is a very strong set of releases from La Castellada, particularly considering the good, but not great, quality of the 2005 vintage. The 2005 whites seem to be made in a style that favors richness of fruit over aromatics but it is impossible to argue with the wines’ overall balance. Given the enviable location of the estate’s hillside vineyards, my feeling is that La Castellada has the potential to make some of the very finest whites in Friuli and Italy, for that matter.Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799