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Pinot Gris/Grigio - The Ingenue of Grapes
Grisunder its Italian name, Pinot Grigio, that it has found world wide acceptance and fame.
From Grape to Bottle - Pinot Gris in the Vineyard and Winery
Pinot Gris is one of several mutations of Pinot Noir. Its name reflects its color, not the dark blue/black of Pinot Noir, nor the pale green of Pinot Blanc, it is somewhere in between, ranging from a light bluish gray to pinkish brown. As a mutation of Pinot Noir, you might expect it to be a grape that is highly susceptible to disease, but it is not. In fact, it is a relatively hardy, disease free grape to grow. It grows well in a variety of soils, preferring good drainage. It grows best in moderate to cool climates. In warmer climates, if its sugars rise too high, it tends to loose acidity, and make dull, flabby wine. Its main viticultural failing is that it has an uncertain yield, making growers somewhat wary of planting it.
In the winery, Pinot Gris is a fairly straightforward, uncomplicated wine to make. It is usually pressed without extended skin contact, and the juice is fermented at cool temperatures in neutral vessels. After fermentation is complete, it is usually bottled right away. It is rarely aged in oak, and if it is, the oak is usually older, used barrels that do not impart any strong flavors, as the mild flavors of the grape would be overwhelmed by significant oak aging. After
In the Glass - The Flavors of Pinot GrisPinot Gris is something of a chameleon of a wine, displaying distinctly different character depending on where and how it is grown. In cooler climates, and with its yields kept low, it can produce a yellow to copper colored, medium to full bodied wine, with rich, floral, melon, pear, apple or peach flavors, with moderate acidity to balance. If the climate is a bit warmer, or the yields higher, the richness, body, and flavors are all lessened, but the basic profile remains the same. In warmer climates, in order to prevent its characteristic drop in acidity as it ripens, it is often harvested early, which results in a wine of less color, less body, less flavor, and more pronounced acidity. The richer forms of Pinot Gris have shown an ability to age and develop, while the lighter forms are best consumed in their youth. There is also a small amount of late harvested Pinot Gris made, so sweet, dessert style Pinot Gris also exists.
On the Table - Pinot Gris and Food
Pinot Gris is a very versatile wine with food, pairing with as wide a range of foods as virtually any white wine. The lighter forms, most notably the Italian Pinot Grigio, are useful as aperitif wines, and also pair well with light pasta and fish. The richer forms can pair with richer fish, chicken, veal, and pork dishes. There is a particular affinity for dishes with a smoky or creamy component. In Oregon, there has been a synergy between the local salmon and Pinot Gris. Lacking the flavors of oak aging, but with richness of flavor, Pinot Gris is particularly successful with many dishes often thought of as good accompaniments to Chardonnay, but where Chardonnay's often oaky flavors interfere. That lack of oak makes Pinot Gris a better cheese wine than Chardonnay. It pairs well with a variety of cheese styles, from fresh Chevre, soft ripened cheeses like Brie or Camembert, to more assertive cheeses like Taleggio, and even all the way to classic "stinky French" cheeses like Muenster.
The Geography of Pinot Gris - Where It Grows, and Grows Well
France
Alsace is only region in France where Pinot Gris is prominent, and even there it takes third place behind Riesling and Gewurztraminer. However, it is the source of what are generally regarded as the finest Pinot Gris wines in the world. In the hands of producers like Willm, Trimbach, Zind Humbrecht, Weinbach, or Hugel, Pinot Gris can be a very rich, full flavored, and intense wine. There also exist two other styles of Pinot Gris in Alsace, the Vendange Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles. Vendange Tardive literally translates as "Late Harvest", and these wines are richer, and more alcoholic. Depending on the producer's "house style" these wines range from dry to semi sweet. Selection de Grains Nobles, translates as "Selection of Noble Grapes" and refers to a wine made from grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, called pourriture noble, or "noble rot". This mold shrivels the grapes, and concentrates the juice, resulting in very high sugar juice, and resulting sweet, dessert wine. Elsewhere in France, a little Pinot Gris is grown, sometimes under the name Pinot Beurot, but it is of little importance.
ItalyPinot Gris/Grigio - The Ingenue of Grapes
Grisunder its Italian name, Pinot Grigio, that it has found world wide acceptance and fame.
From Grape to Bottle - Pinot Gris in the Vineyard and Winery
Pinot Gris is one of several mutations of Pinot Noir. Its name reflects its color, not the dark blue/black of Pinot Noir, nor the pale green of Pinot Blanc, it is somewhere in between, ranging from a light bluish gray to pinkish brown. As a mutation of Pinot Noir, you might expect it to be a grape that is highly susceptible to disease, but it is not. In fact, it is a relatively hardy, disease free grape to grow. It grows well in a variety of soils, preferring good drainage. It grows best in moderate to cool climates. In warmer climates, if its sugars rise too high, it tends to loose acidity, and make dull, flabby wine. Its main viticultural failing is that it has an uncertain yield, making growers somewhat wary of planting it.
In the winery, Pinot Gris is a fairly straightforward, uncomplicated wine to make. It is usually pressed without extended skin contact, and the juice is fermented at cool temperatures in neutral vessels. After fermentation is complete, it is usually bottled right away. It is rarely aged in oak, and if it is, the oak is usually older, used barrels that do not impart any strong flavors, as the mild flavors of the grape would be overwhelmed by significant oak aging. After
In the Glass - The Flavors of Pinot GrisPinot Gris is something of a chameleon of a wine, displaying distinctly different character depending on where and how it is grown. In cooler climates, and with its yields kept low, it can produce a yellow to copper colored, medium to full bodied wine, with rich, floral, melon, pear, apple or peach flavors, with moderate acidity to balance. If the climate is a bit warmer, or the yields higher, the richness, body, and flavors are all lessened, but the basic profile remains the same. In warmer climates, in order to prevent its characteristic drop in acidity as it ripens, it is often harvested early, which results in a wine of less color, less body, less flavor, and more pronounced acidity. The richer forms of Pinot Gris have shown an ability to age and develop, while the lighter forms are best consumed in their youth. There is also a small amount of late harvested Pinot Gris made, so sweet, dessert style Pinot Gris also exists.
On the Table - Pinot Gris and Food
Pinot Gris is a very versatile wine with food, pairing with as wide a range of foods as virtually any white wine. The lighter forms, most notably the Italian Pinot Grigio, are useful as aperitif wines, and also pair well with light pasta and fish. The richer forms can pair with richer fish, chicken, veal, and pork dishes. There is a particular affinity for dishes with a smoky or creamy component. In Oregon, there has been a synergy between the local salmon and Pinot Gris. Lacking the flavors of oak aging, but with richness of flavor, Pinot Gris is particularly successful with many dishes often thought of as good accompaniments to Chardonnay, but where Chardonnay's often oaky flavors interfere. That lack of oak makes Pinot Gris a better cheese wine than Chardonnay. It pairs well with a variety of cheese styles, from fresh Chevre, soft ripened cheeses like Brie or Camembert, to more assertive cheeses like Taleggio, and even all the way to classic "stinky French" cheeses like Muenster.
The Geography of Pinot Gris - Where It Grows, and Grows Well
France
Alsace is only region in France where Pinot Gris is prominent, and even there it takes third place behind Riesling and Gewurztraminer. However, it is the source of what are generally regarded as the finest Pinot Gris wines in the world. In the hands of producers like Willm, Trimbach, Zind Humbrecht, Weinbach, or Hugel, Pinot Gris can be a very rich, full flavored, and intense wine. There also exist two other styles of Pinot Gris in Alsace, the Vendange Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles. Vendange Tardive literally translates as "Late Harvest", and these wines are richer, and more alcoholic. Depending on the producer's "house style" these wines range from dry to semi sweet. Selection de Grains Nobles, translates as "Selection of Noble Grapes" and refers to a wine made from grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, called pourriture noble, or "noble rot". This mold shrivels the grapes, and concentrates the juice, resulting in very high sugar juice, and resulting sweet, dessert wine. Elsewhere in France, a little Pinot Gris is grown, sometimes under the name Pinot Beurot, but it is of little importance.
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