08/25/05 E-mail - Pinot Gris vs. Pinot Grigio

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. One of our listeners who just loves the white wines of summer wrote to ask Pinot Gris - Pinot Grigio; is there a difference? The confusion over the two names Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio for the same grape is a common one. But - there definitely seems to be a difference in more than just the name. Pinot Gris is the same grape as the one referred to as Pinot Grigio in Italy. This grape is a relative of Pinot Noir, as is Pinot Blanc. Pinot Noir has many relatives as it mutates quite readily. In Italy it is often picked young and made into a dry, light, rather lean and crisp wine. Where in the Alsace region of France it is a revered grape and is made into some of the driest richest most wonderful white wines in the world. Pinot Gris is grown even more commonly in Germany where they are medium to full bodied and fairly complex. The dry style is call Rulander and the sweeter style Grauburgunder. Here in the United States some of the most intense plantings of Pinot Gris are in Oregon where the wines seem to be of a style that is medium bodied and to me maintain more of the fruit character of the grape. But Pinot Gris is a very adaptable grape and it will quickly take on special characters from the place where it is grown. Pinot Gris is good with fresh goat cheese or a creamier sweeter cheese like fromage blanc or fontina. If you have a wine tasting group think about doing some research and trying Pinot Gris from at least the four wine regions that I've mentioned today Italy France Germany and Oregon. No doubt you will find your new favorite wine amongst them. Join us tomorrow as we answer more of your wine questions and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.