Wine Guide - Pinot Gris/Grigio- Carousel Card Item

<h2><a href="https://wine.qantas.com/c/white-wine/pinot-grigio">Pinot Grigio </a>and <a href="https://wine.qantas.com/c/white-wine/pinot-gris">Pinot Gris</a> are two white wines made from the same grape, but through different methods. Grigio is picked earlier and thus tends to be drier and lighter, while the late-picked gris can be richer, spicier and fuller-bodied.</h2><p>In the world of wine there’s perhaps no greater confusion amongst the public than that surrounding pinot grigio and pinot gris. Are they the same wine? Are they different? Is one name colloquial, the other formal? The differences, once revealed, are actually quite straightforward. So let’s take a look at the whats, wheres, whens and hows of these two staple whites.


</p><p></p>

Wine Guide - Pinot Gris/Grigio - To grigio or to gris?

<h4><b>Where did you come from pinot grigio?</b> </h4><p>The grape from which these wines are made – which will be referred to by its Italian name pinot grigio for the sake of simplicity – has been known since the middle ages. A mutant clone of pinot noir, it is a lighter take on its origin grape, with fruit that can range from greyish-blue through to white. The first recorded mention of the variety was when it spread from the famed French wine-making region of Burgundy to Switzerland in the 13th century. </p><p>It was favoured by 14th century Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, but in reality the variety was relatively unknown for centuries, its scattered vines spread throughout medieval Europe. One of the reasons for this was its fickleness – most vintners saw its poor yields and unreliability as not worth the risk. </p><p>It wasn’t until the mid-20th century, when German vine breeders were able to create hardier and greater yielding crops, that the grape’s reputation began to enhance. And only since the turn of the millennium has it truly come into its own, with a wealth of New World vintners creating their own takes on the classic French and Italian styles.</p><p> </p><p>

</p>

<h2>&#39;&#39;While the variety was one of the original vines that the father of Australian viticulture, James Busby, brought to our shores in 1832, it wasn’t deemed worth the effort by Australian winemakers. But as hardier varieties began to be bred through the 20th century, interest began to pique.&#39;&#39; </h2><p></p>

<h4><b>A latecomer down under</b> </h4><p>Plantings of the grape began in earnest in the 1980s, but it wasn’t until after 2000 that production really began to gather steam. The <a href="https://wine.qantas.com/c/white-wine?q=%3A%3Avarieties%3APinot%2BGris%3Avarieties%3APinot%2BGrigio%3Aregion%3AMornington%2BPeninsula#">Mornington Peninsula</a> was the pinot grigio/gris trendsetter, with T’Gallant considered the variety’s pioneer down under. In the new millennium the wine has gone from strength to strength, and now Australia devotes more acreage to the variety than its spiritual home of France.
</p>

<h4><b>Made to taste</b> </h4><p>When tasting pinot grigio and pinot gris it’s important to think of the wines as a spectrum. While pinot grigio will sit towards the unripened end and pinot gris toward ripened, there is a large amount of grey in between. Because the crossover is not clearly demarcated, the tastes of the two wines are often interchangeable. In fact, in Australia at least, many wineries label their pinot grigio and pinot gris at the direction of a sommelier, rather than when the grapes were picked from the vine. </p><p>That aside, both wines deliver a spiciness and acidity that has become their trademark. You can expect more lime and green apple flavours from the earlier-picked grigio, while the later-picked gris will offer nectarine, pear and even some faint honey notes.

</p>

<h4><b>Pinot gris/grigio titbits</b></h4><ul><li><p>A mutation of the pinot noir grape, pinot grigio fruit is actually red-skinned! Unlike reds and rosé which are fermented with the skins, pinot grigio skins are removed from the process after pressing.</p></li><li><p>Pinot grigio is one of the earliest maturing grapes, and will be the first harvested for most vineyards in which it is planted.</p></li><li><p>Want a world-leading pinot gris experience? Try a drop from the famed Alsace region of France, where pinot gris is considered one of the noble grapes.</p></li></ul><p></p>

Wine Guide - Pinot gris/grigio - Pinot gris/grigio titbits

<p>Liquor Act 2007 (NSW): No alcohol can be sold or supplied to anyone under 18. It’s against the law. Licence Number: NSW LIQP770016736, NT IRL0201, SA 57900154.</p><p>Qantas Wine is operated by Qantas Frequent Flyer Operations Pty Limited ABN 22 132 484 210. For more Terms and Conditions, please click <a href="https://wine.qantas.com/terms-and-conditions">here</a>.</p>