Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio) is believed to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir grape. Pinot means pinecone in French, which reflects how the grapes grow in small, tight clusters on the vine. Gris is French for grey and Grigio is Italian for grey, again reflecting how the grapes tend to have a grayish-blue color. They also can have a brownish pink-to-black and even a white appearance.

Pinot Gris has been known in the Burgundy Region of France since the Middle Ages, and spread to Switzerland by 1300. Emperor Charles IV had cuttings imported to Hungary by Cistercian monks in 1375. In 1711, a German merchant named Johan Seger Ruland discovered a grape growing wild in the fields of the Palatinate, Germany. He produced a wine that became known as Rulander, and the vine was later discovered to be Pinot Gris. The grape was a popular planting in Burgundy and Champagne, France, until the 18th and 19th centuries when unreliable crops produced poor yields. Then in the early 20th century, vine breeders were able to develop varieties of Pinot Gris that would produce a more consistent and reliable crop.

Few varieties demonstrate as well as Pinot Gris the degree to which geography and site selection can result in divergent styles of wine. Pinot Gris grows best in cool climates and matures relatively early with high sugar levels. This can lead to either a sweeter wine, or, if fermented to dryness, a wine with high alcohol.

Alsatian Pinot Gris, from Alsace, France, are medium to full bodied wines with a rich, somewhat floral bouquet. They tend to be spicy in comparisons with other Pinot Gris. While most Pinot Gris are meant to be consumed early, Alsatian Pinto Gris can age well. German Pinot Gris are more full-bodied with a balance of acidity and slight sweetness. In Oregon, the wines are medium bodied with a yellow to copper-pink color and aromas of pear, apple and/or melon. In California, the Pinot Gris are lighter bodied with a crisp, refreshing taste with some pepper and arugula notes. The Pinot Grigio style of Italy is a light bodied, often lean wine that is light in color with sometimes-spritzy flavors that can be crisp and acidic. Although this wine can be very sweet, it will begin to lose its acidity when it is nearly ripe.

You name it.
Pinot Gris has many names around the world: Auxerrois Gris in Alsace, France; Fauvet and Gris Cordelier in France; Fromentau in Langeudoc, France; Grauburgunder/Grauer Burgunder in Germany and Austria; Malvoisie in the Loire Valley and Switzerland; Monemvasia in Greece; Pinot Grigio in Italy; Pinot Beurot in the Loire Valley and Burgundy; in Austria, Germany and Romania; Rulandske Sede in the Czech Republic and Slovakia; Sivi Pinot in Croatia and Slovenia; Szurkebarat in Hungary; and Tokay d’Alsace in France until the European Union renamed it Pinot Gris due to regulations.

The Pinot Grigio style of the Pinot Gris grape is the most popular. Sales of Pinot Grigio have been increasing. In 2002, the largest increase in sales in the U.S. was reported with an almost 40 percent increase. California increased its Pinot Grigio plantings by 7,000 acres in 2004 to help meet this demand. Today, Pinot Grigio is still enjoying a steady increase year after year.

The majority of Pinot Grigio wines lack depth and complexity. Many in the wine industry scorn Pinot Grigio. Yet this wine is the most popular imported wine in the country. The lack of depth and complexity those claim may be a direct result of mass production. Anytime you begin to produce wine on a large scale, you have to create a quality that is consistent, and that can also correlate to a wine without complexity. Yet Pinot Grigio is a great wine. It is an enjoyable wine that you can drink on your deck with friends.

Wine drinkers who believe Pinot Grigio to be inferior are missing the big picture about wine. Too much emphasis is placed on ratings. While ratings are important, they aren’t everything to everyone. There are wine drinkers who drink wine for its sophistication, and that is great; but there are also those who drink wine to enjoy with good company. Don’t let anyone or any rating be the only determination in what wine you drink.

Remember: Drink what you like and like what you drink.

Tags: Alsatian Pinot Gris. Pinot Grigio, Fine Wine, Wine Drinkers

Category: Blog, Featured