What is the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris?
Technically none. Gris is gray in French and Grigio is gray in Italian. The grape has a slight grayish pink tint on the skin. Use of the name outside Italy or France indicates a stylistic difference. The French wines from Alsace are usually heavier bodied, less dry (see above) and are often fruitier. The Italian style is light and zippy with more acidity and less residual sugar. Oregon wineries use the Gris designation and more often the California wineries go with Grigio. If you are still eating Freedom Fries, you will prefer Pinot Grigio. What are white and red Burgundy? In the Burgundy region of France, the predominant white grape is Chardonnay and the red Pinot Noir. So when someone asks for white burgundy they are asking for Chardonnay. When asking for red, they are expecting Pinot Noir. Hearty Burgundy, my training wheel red wine, was not from Burgundy and had no Pinot Noir in it. We Americans were suckled on inexpensive red and white wines from California that hijacked names lik
FABRIZIO: The Pinot Grigio loves cool climates. The finest Pinot Grigios come from the northern regions of Italy, especially those that border the Alps. In Alsace, France, a different clone of this grape variety is known as Pinot Gris. This particular grape variety is also known as Pinot Gris in the American states of California and Oregon.
