Pinot Grigio wine is a zesty white wine that is as punchy as it is refreshing. It is extremely popular and is the second most popular white wine in America.
How Does Pinot Grigio Wine Taste?
It is dry and has an acidity with fruit flavours reminiscent of lemons, limes and green apples. It is an ideal summer drink and with all I’ve already told you in the intro alone there’s no wonder why!
Where does Pinot Grigio come from?
Pinot Grigio actually has its origins in France despite its popular name and was originally called Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris is a mutation of the red grape Pinot Noir and rather than the green hue common to other white wine grapes the Pinot Gris has a greyish blue hue from which it gets its name.
It made its way to Northern Italy from its original birthplace in Burgundy through Switzerland in the 14th century where it was popular with the Emperor. Once in Italy Pinot Gris became the Pinot Grigio we know and spread throughout Northern Italy into the Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, Trentino and Alto Adige. From there it experienced explosive growth in popularity worldwide.
In Hungary it was imported by the Cistercian monks who planted vines in 1375. The vine was named Szürkebarát which is Hungarian for “grey monk”. In 1711 Johann Seger Ruland discovered a wild vine of Pinot Gris with which he produced a wine known as Ruländer. Poor yields of Pinot Gris in Burgundy and Champagne caused the grape to fall out of favour but German breeders produced more reliable crops.
Researchers at the University of California determined that Pinot Gris is in fact similar in terms of DNA to Pinot Noir and that the colour difference is a result of a genetic mutation, the researchers said that the similarity was so strong that colouration was the only differing aspect between the two. Scientifically speaking, one component that contributes to the colour of a grape is the amount of active anthocyanins, something that is higher in Pinot Noir than Pinot Grigio and lowest of all in Pinot Blanc.
Types of Pinot Grigio
The Pinot Grigio breaks down into three main types.
- Minerally and Dry
- Fruity and Dry
- Fruity and Sweet
Minerally and Dry Pinot Grigio
This is a lean Alpine style of Pinot Grigio and found along the valleys of the alps from Italy through Austria into Slovenia and Hungary. This environment creates a high acidity and ensures an austere dry flavour. This is very much a summer wine and pairs well with mussels and other summer treats. This is the definitive Pinot Grigio and renowned for its simplicity, austerity and citrus notes.
When shopping for this kind of wine the key players are Italian, German and Austrian wine labels:
- Italian wines are simply labelled Pinot Grigio, look for wines from the cooler climates of Alto Adige, Trentino, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
- German Pinot Grigio are often confusingly labeled as “Grauburgunder ” and come from the Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Rheingau regions.
- Austrian pinot Grigio are sometimes labelled as Pinot Gris or “Grauburgunder” and come from Burgenland and the Steiermark
Fruity and Dry Pinot Grigio
There is a fruitier option with lemon, apple and peach flavours, often with a richer and more oily texture. As a result of the introduction of special bacteria during the fermentation process the acidity is reduced as a result of something called Malolactic Fermentation.
This is a warmer climate Pinot Grigio and the main producers are in the United States and the Oceania region:
- In the United States major producers exist in California, Oregon and Washington state.
- In Oceania both Australia and New Zealand have significant Pinot Grigio vineyards.
- Argentina and South Africa also offer some Pinot Grigio in this style.
Fruity and Sweet Pinot Grigio
Famously from Alsace in France and originally developed in imitation of the sweet Tokaji wine drunk by Transylvanian and Ottoman royalty. Alsace is now one of the few regions producing this sweet style of Pinot Grigio. The flavour profile includes honey crisp apples and sweet lemon candy. Winemakers have been known to use late harvest and noble rot grapes to get the most out of their plantings.
Alsace dominates the market for this style of Pinot Grigio, here are three Alsatian styles to look out for:
- Grand Cru, known for bolder styles of Pinot Grigio
- Vendage Tardives, which means “late harvest” and is especially sweet as a result of the late harvesting technique
- Selection de Grains Nobles, which is a specially selected style of Pinot Grigio which uses grapes selected with noble rot, it is considered one of the best and most rare styles.
In conclusion, Pinot Grigio is an immensely popular wine with many exciting varieties but known mainly for its dry crisp style and austere flavourings. In this guise it is the quintessential summer wine and pairs brilliantly with many popular summertime food offerings, enjoy this Alpine summer treat responsibly!