W3 Wine School

World Famous Grapes

Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris Grapes

Pinot Grigio vs Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris from France (Alsace) and Pinot Grigio from Italy use the same grape.

Pinot Grigio is usually light, refreshing, and straightforward.

Pinot Gris tends to be richer, more complex, with a greater aging potential.


Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is typically dry with a light to medium body. The wine is often crisp and refreshing with high acidity.

Common characteristics include notes of green apple, pear, citrus (lemon, lime) and sometimes a hint of almond. The flavors are usually straightforward and uncomplicated.

Pinot Grigio is often produced in an easy-drinking style. While it can be high quality, it is usually designed for immediate consumption rather than aging. The best examples can exhibit more complexity and balance, but the majority are enjoyed for their freshness and lightness.


Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris can vary significantly in sweetness and body, depending on where and how it is produced. It ranges from dry to off-dry (slightly sweet) and generally has a fuller body compared to Pinot Grigio, with a richer, more rounded mouthfeel.

Pinot Gris often shows more pronounced and complex aromas and flavors than Pinot Grigio. Typical notes include ripe tropical fruits (such as pineapple and mango), stone fruits (like peach and apricot), and a honeyed character. You might also find spicier, earthy, or floral nuances.

Pinot Gris is known for its potential to produce high-quality wines with depth and complexity. It can age well, developing additional layers of flavor over time. The best examples come from Alsace in France, where it can achieve remarkable richness and intensity.


Notable Pinot Grigio Regions


Pinot Grigio in Italy

Pinot Grigio is a light and dry Italian white wine.

Refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.

Pinot Grigio is cultivated many places in Italy, but the most prominent regions are in the northeast:

Italian Pinot Grigio and French Pinot Gris use the same grapes, but the Italian wine is dry and crisp while the french is sweeter and more aromatic. The Italian grapes are harvested before they mature to reduce sugar in favor of acid.


Pinot Gris in France

Pinot Gris originated in Bourgogne, but has shown its best potential in Alsace.

In Alsace, Pinot Gris is considered a noble grape, where is was first known as Tokaj d'Alsace.

Alsatian Pinot Gris is quite different in taste than those from other regions.

The Alsatian version is typically a little off-dry.

Alsace, located in northeastern France, is characterized by several key natural factors that significantly influence the style of Pinot Gris wines produced in the region.

These natural factors work together to create Pinot Gris wines that are rich, aromatic, and full-bodied, with a potential for aging that sets them apart from their lighter counterparts like Pinot Grigio.

Key Natural Factors

Contribution to Pinot Gris Style

Large Oak Barrels

Large, old oak barrels used in Alsace have little influence on the wines' aromas because of two factors:

Winemaking Intent

Winemaking Intent result in wines that showcase the distinctive fruit and terroir-driven qualities of Alsace, with minimal influence from the oak:


Grauburgunder in Germany

Grauburgunder is the German name for Pinot Gris.

Grauburgunder is more often associated with dry examles of Pinot Gris, like Italian Pinot Grigio.

Ruländer is found in the Baden and Pfalz regions of Germany, where it is known as a sweet style of wine.

The names Grauburgunder and Ruländer are also used in Austria.


Ruländer in Germany

Ruländer is a German Off-Dry Pinot Gris.

Grauburgunder is more often associated with dry examles of Pinot Gris, like Italian Pinot Grigio.

Ruländer is found in the Baden and Pfalz regions of Germany, where it is known as a sweet style of wine.

The names Grauburgunder and Ruländer are also used in Austria.


Grauburgunder in Austria

High Quality areas / regions:

Burgenland
Steiermark

Grauburgunder (Pinot Grigio) was brought from Burgundy to Austria in the 13th or 14th century by Cistercian monks.

The grape has a high level of sugar and is therefore often vinified in Spätlese or Auslese styles.

The planting of Grauburgunder has been decreasing continuously since 1999.


Pinot Gris in USA

Pinot Gris on the label, indicates a wine made in an off-dry Alsation style.

The first American Pinot Gris vines was planted in in Oregon in 1965.

In 1991, King Estate Winery started to produce quality Oregon Pinot Gris, and managed to developed a US market for the wine.

Today, King Estate Winery is the world's leading producer of premium Pinot Gris from the world's largest organic vineyard of Pinot Gris grapes.

Pinot Gris is also planted in California, where the wine is often called Pinot Grigio because of the similarity in style with Italian Pinot Grigio.


Pinot Grigio in USA

Pinot Grigio on the label, indicates a lighter and more Italian style.


Pinot Gris in New Zealand

In New Zealand, Pinot Gris is grown in the North and the South Island.

High Quality areas / regions:

Marlborough
Hawke's Bay

Map credit: New Zealand Winegrowers

New Zealand


In New Zealand, Pinot Gris are more like the Alsatian style.

Pinot Gris is the third most planted white grape after Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay.

Marlborough in the cooler South Island, produces wines with a great structure, with focus on pure aromatics and flavours of white peach, red apple and cinnamon.

Hawke’s Bay in the warmer climates of the North Island, produces ripe, rich, powerful and concentrated wines in a diversity of styles.


Pinot Gris in Australia

Pinot Gris was first planted in Australia in 1832 from a collection of grapes brought to the island by James Busby (the British Resident in New Zealand).

Australian Pinot Gris can be labeled Pinot Gris (French Type) or Pinot Grigio (Italian Type), depending on the sweetness / dryness of the wine.

Pinot Gris indicates a richer French style.

Pinot Grigio in Australia

Pinot Grigio indicates a lighter and more Italian style.


Pinot Gris in Chile

Pinot Gris from Chile is where the Alsatian style meets the Italian style.


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