Ericka @Chef PickyKid and Me
Last week’s installment of Wine on Wednesday featured Merlot, which is a red wine varietal with characteristics similar to Cabernet Sauvignon. This week’s installment of Wine on Wednesday features Pinot Grigio!
Pinot Grigio (also known as Pinot Gris) is thought to be a wine created from mutated grapes of the Pinot Noir grape. Pinot Grigio grapes are a grayish blue color and tend to be darker than other white wine grapes. Pinot Grigio was a wine originally developed in France, but there are also popular Pinot Grigio wine makers in places like Italy, California, Oregon, Australia, and even Argentina.
Pinot Grigio tends to be a light to medium bodied wine (see our first installment of Wine on Wednesday for information on what medium bodied means when referring to wine). With respect to flavors, the Pinot Grigio wine tends to have notes of melon, pear, citrus fruit, and tropical fruit. In addition to fruit notes, Pinot Grigio may also have notes of honey, vanilla or smoky flavors. Pinot Grigio also tends to be a wine with less acidity, so it may have a sweeter flavor. Because of the lower acidity, Pinot Grigio is also considered to be a wine that’s very smooth to the taste.
One thing in particular that makes the Pinot Grigio wine unique is its color. Depending on where it’s made, Pinot Grigio may have a distinct straw yellow color or even a pinkish hue.
Like many white wines, Pinot Grigio tends to pair best with lighter food items, but because of its unique flavors, Pinot Grigio pairs especially well with seafood, citrus sauces, and even cheese plates.
Now that you know a little more about Pinot Grigio, could this wine be a good choice for you? If you tend to prefer a little sweeter wine that still has fruity flavors, and you also prefer wines with less acidity (less of the bitterness or pucker on your tongue when you drink it), Pinot Grigio might be a good choice for you. Keep in mind that there are lots of variations in wines depending on the winemaker, so be sure to try a few different winemakers before you decide whether or not this is the wine for you.
Here are a few popular choices for Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris:
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s installment, and stay tuned for the next installment of Wine on Wednesday!
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