Pinot Gris or Grigio

The
dramatic increase in the popularity of Pinot Gris over the
past few years has vaulted it into second place among the
white grapes that Americans choose most frequently, right
behind Chardonnay. The vast majority of the bottles,
however, are labeled Pinot Grigio and imported from Italy or
produced in the US with that name. What is the difference
between Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio? One of emphasis and
style, rather than genetics. They are the identical grape.
The Pinot Grigio that has taken the market by storm,
however, constitutes mild background music compared to many
of the wines labeled Pinot Gris, which are more thunderous
in personality: fuller, deeper in color, more unctuous in
texture, and dramatically flavorful. Outstanding examples of
each type are currently available in the market and though
it’s possible that the rage for Pinot Grigio might at some
point translate into increased demand for Pinot Gris, there
are as yet no signs that this is likely to happen because
people tend to choose one versus the other for different
reasons.

Why if the grape
is the same would there be such disparity in the style and
flavor of Pinot Gris versus Pinot Grigio? Much of the
differentiation is directly attributable to such an esoteric
viticultural concept as timing of the harvest. In Italy it’s
standard to pick the grape early, before it has fully
matured, changed color or developed much in the way of
distinctive flavor. The goal is to produce a wine that is
light, crisp, clean, and refreshing without strong aromas.
Much of the character develops after fermentation and during
aging on the yeast lees. The grapes for wines labeled Pinot
Gris, on the other hand, tend to be harvested much later,
after the grape has had an opportunity to express its full
potential for ripeness. The classic Pinot Gris originates in
Alsace (the grape is actually from Burgundy, where it’s
known, confusingly, as Pinot Beurot). Most often Alsace
Pinot Gris has deep colors, a rich texture, and a relatively
spicy personality. “Gris” means gray in French, and when
allowed to mature the flavors can be dramatically
expressive. Because Alsace is cool in climate but very dry
throughout the fall, the harvest is often stretched out
almost ’til winter so when the Pinot Gris grape is finally
picked it will have developed a full complement of fruit and
spice flavors. Among the other areas of the world that have
specialized in Pinot Gris production, such as Oregon and
Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, there is a similar moderate
climate profile but an elongated growing season that helps
the grape achieve greater ripeness.

While there is
some overlap, tasting Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris blind to
determine which is which is not very challenging because the
differences are not subtle. The following moderately priced
wines are the composite winners of the most recent blind
tastings I’ve conducted in both categories. A few overall
comments: while US wineries that label their wines “Pinot
Grigio” are emulating the Italian model, I have yet to taste
one that struck me as anything other than bland. Many of
these wines, however, are selling extremely well. Regarding
prices, does it pay to spend more or can you find bargains?
That depends on why the grape appeals to you. Price in this
category is largely a reflection of yield. The more tonnage
per acre that is harvested the lower the price and usually
the more dilute the flavor. So you do get what you pay for.
But if you’re looking for a mild, pleasant refreshing wine,
you might be better off with the lighter, lower priced wines
that fit this flavor profile moreso than wines that are
concentrated in flavor. If you’re attracted to the riper,
fuller bodied and more flavorful versions you will
unfortunately have to pay up to find satisfaction. The wines
noted mostly all fit into the middle category. Few of the
under $1O Pinot Grigios made the grade and the better
Alsatian wines have mostly crept above the $15 cut off
point. The wines, at right, appear in ascending order of
preference, which for me essentially means that they are
listed from the lightest to the fullest flavored.