When we think of Pinot Grigio, we usually imagine crisp white wines. Now, Mary J Blige is betting we’ll like Pinot Grigio in a different form: as a blush-colored Ramato wine. The Grammy Award-winning musician just launched Sun Goddess Wines, starring a Pinot Grigio Ramato from Friuli, Italy.
Why Pinot Grigio Ramato? “I have always been particularly fond of white wines that demonstrate freshness, minerality, and purity. Pinot Grigio is undoubtedly among my favorite varieties,” said Blige. “A dear friend introduced me to Marco Fantinel, referring to him as the producer of the best Pinot Grigio in the world.” Over the next three years, Blige proceeded to partner with Fantinel in building out Sun Goddess Wines.
Fantinel is a renowned producer within Friuli, even producing wines for the Pope. This family-owned winery crafts terroir-driven wines from indigenous varietals, such as Ribolla Gialla, Refosco, and Friulano. “We decided to follow the production method carried out in ancient times in Friuli Venezia Giulia, based on a short maceration of the grapes, and to recreate the original Pinot Grigio, the PINOT GRIGIO RAMATO,” stated CEO Marco Fantinel.
Photo Credit: Sun Goddess Wines
This maceration is what makes the Pinot Grigio Ramato unique. By fermenting the grapes with their skins on, the wine takes on a distinctive copper-pink hue, along with a higher-tannin texture than traditional rosé wines.
Ultimately, the Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato offers intense peach, melon, blackberry, and undergrowth aromatics. Due to the skin contact during maceration, it is full-bodied with sweet, velvety tannins on the palate. The mineral-driven finish reflects the wine’s terroir of limestone, sandstone, and marl-rich soil.
Sun Goddess Wines also includes a Friuli D.O.C. Sauvignon Blanc. This structured-yet-smooth wine exudes tropical aromatics of banana, melon, and spicy yellow pepper.
The name “Sun Goddess” is inspired by Blige’s childhood. “I’ve always loved the sun, and as a child I always tried to capture the sun’s warmth and energy,” said Blige. “It was magical to me, and it’s with that spirit, that my mom began calling me “Sun Goddess”.
One thing we appreciate about Sun Goddess Wines is its availability. Both the Sun Goddess Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio Ramato can be easily purchased nationwide on Wine.com for $19.99 each. The wines will also be available in stores starting with New York and New Jersey, then rolling out nationwide in August.
With the recent abundance of celebrity-backed wines from France and the United States, we’re excited to see Mary J Blige’s label putting a spotlight on Italy and some of its lesser-known winemaking methods. To learn more, visit SunGoddessWines.com.