I tend to be a fan of the Riesling grape when grown in Leelanau County and on Old Mission. But the Pinto Grigio (aka "Pinot Gris") also produces some very fine wines. Jancis Robinson, queen of British wine writers, dismisses the wines made from the grape as "a sea of reasonably undistinguished dry white with low aroma and noticeable acidity."

But there are wines that rise above that standard produced in our area (and ones that don't, but we'll pass over those). The Leelanau Cellars Pinto Grigio 2005 is one of those wines that avoids the thin acidity of some Pinto Grigio's and provides as well a lively, peppery bouquet that make this wine eminently quaffable.

It's widely available at outlets throughout the region for about $10.99 (though Tom's West Bay, where I shop, recently had it for a dollar off). If you see it, buy it. It will make a delightful accompaniment to fish, chicken, or any food customary for white wine.