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White Varietals

Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris

Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species 'vitis vinifera.' thought to be a mutant clone of the pinot noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, but the grapes have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance. the clone of pinot gris grown in italy is known as pinot grigio. pinot gris is grown around the world with the 'spicy' full-bodied alsatian and lighter-bodied, more acidic italian styles being most widely recognized, the alsatian style, often duplicated in new world wine regions such as south austraila, washington, and oregon, tend to have moderate to low acidity, higher alcohol levels and an almost 'oily' texture that contributes to the full-bodied nature of the wine. the flavors can range from ripe tropical fruit notes of melon and mango to some botrytis-influenced flavors. in italy pinot grigio grapes are often harvested early to retain the refreshing acidity and minimize some of the overt-fruitiness of the variety, creating a more neutral flavor profile. this style is often imitated in other old world wine regions, such as germany.