| Pinot Gris (or Tokay Pinot Gris) is a white | | | | that is medium-bodied, exhibiting strong |
| wine grape of species Vitis Vinifera related | | | | fruit flavors and aromas and superb |
| to Pinot Noir which goes by a lot of other | | | | crispness. Pinot Gris produced from grapes |
| names: | | | | grown in the Alsace region of France has |
| | | | proven to show full-bodied, floral flavors, |
| Pinot Grigio (Italy) | | | | and a deep viscosity with a long-lasting |
| | | | finish. |
| Pinot Beurot (Loire Valley, France) | | | | |
| | | | Pinot Gris made from grapes grown in other |
| Ruländer (Austria and Germany, Romania, | | | | regions can also be delicious, but generally |
| sweet) | | | | don't deliver the same excellent qualities |
| | | | that people have come to expect from wines |
| Grauburgunder or Grauer burgunder (Austria | | | | made in the regions listed above. California |
| and Germany, dry) | | | | is one area where Pinot Gris is grown, but |
| | | | the wines made there tend to be flabby, |
| Grauklevner (Germany) | | | | losing their complexity due to the warmer |
| | | | weather. In fact, Pinot Gris produced in |
| Malvoisie (Loire Valley, France and | | | | California is often called Pinot Grigio |
| Switzerland) | | | | because of the similarity in style to the |
| | | | wines from Italy. |
| Tokay d'Alsace (Alsace) (currently being | | | | |
| renamed due to EU regulations) | | | | Pinot Gris can be found in many places, from |
| | | | restaurants to tasting rooms to supermarkets. |
| Auxerrois Gris (Alsace) | | | | Listed below are some of the places you can |
| | | | purchase Pinot Gris, and what it might cost |
| Fromentau (Langudoc, France) | | | | you. |
| | | | |
| Fromentot (France) | | | | Restaurants - Easily the most expensive place |
| | | | to buy wine, the restaurant offers a cozy |
| Fauvet (France) | | | | atmosphere, sometimes knowledgeable waiters, |
| | | | and comprehensive wine list. For a decent |
| Gris Cordelier (France) | | | | bottle of Pinot Gris, be prepared to pay 30 |
| | | | to 40 dollars or more, depending on how fancy |
| Grauer Mönch (Germany) | | | | the establishment is. One idea for frugal |
| | | | restaurant dining is to call beforehand and |
| Monemrasia | | | | ask if you can bring in your own delicious |
| | | | bottle of Pinot Gris. The restaurant will |
| Crvena Klevanjka (Croatia) | | | | charge you a nominal "pouring fee", but you |
| | | | won't have to shell out the big bucks. |
| Sivi Pinot (Slovenia) | | | | |
| | | | Supermarkets - Probably the least expensive |
| Szürkebarát (Hungary) | | | | place to purchase wine, your neighborhood |
| | | | Safeway or Albertsons offers a variety of |
| "Pinot" means "pinecone" in French, and | | | | Pinot Gris at prices ranging from $7 to $20. |
| "gris" means gray. The grapes grow in small | | | | Just don't expect too much help from the |
| clusters (hence the pinecone shape), and upon | | | | stockboy when deciding which Pinot Gris would |
| ripening, often display a pinkish-gray hue, | | | | go best with osso buco. |
| although the colors can vary from blue-gray | | | | |
| to pinkish-brown. | | | | Tasting Rooms - Many wineries have their own |
| | | | tasting rooms with dramatic views and |
| Pinot Gris is called Pinot Grigio in Italy, | | | | enchanting music geared to put the consumer |
| and the grape is grown in many regions, | | | | into a wine buying-trance. If you buy Pinot |
| although, arguably, most successfully in | | | | Gris from the tasting room, however, you are |
| Alsace (France), Italy, Germany, and Oregon. | | | | usually buying directly from the winery, and |
| In the United States, Pinot Gris has recently | | | | won't get the big discounts that the stores |
| supplanted Sauvignon Blanc as the most | | | | receive. Expect to pay somewhere between 15 |
| popular white wine grape next to Chardonnay. | | | | to 30 dollars for a good bottle of Pinot |
| In fact, Pinot Gris is often referred to as | | | | Gris. |
| "the other white wine". | | | | |
| | | | The Internet - A great place to shop for wine |
| Pinot Gris produces wines that are generally | | | | in general, the web offers you some super |
| fruity in aroma, with flavors of honey, | | | | deals. The upside of web shopping is that you |
| apple, pear, vanilla, oak, and citrus. The | | | | can browse the wine shoppe at 3 AM if you |
| flavors can vary from region to region, but a | | | | desire. The downside is that every state has |
| good Pinot Gris will display crisp acidity, | | | | their own particular wine laws, and you may |
| balanced with silky sweetness, resulting in a | | | | have to shop for awhile before you can find |
| complex array of flavors on the pallet. Pinot | | | | someone to ship Pinot Gris to your state. Oh, |
| gris goes well with foods typically | | | | and you have to pay the shipping costs, and |
| associated with white wines, including fish, | | | | the wine may be exposed to all kinds of |
| seafood, chicken, pork, and Asian cuisine. | | | | elements and hazards on its way to your door. |
| | | | |
| Pinot Gris is thought to have originated in | | | | Wine Festivals - If you live in a reasonably |
| the Burgundy region of France, and was | | | | populated area, chances are that you have an |
| planted in Northern Europe for many years | | | | annual wine festival within 20 miles or so. |
| before making its way to Oregon in the | | | | These are great places to try a variety of |
| 1960's. The grape is presently grown in many | | | | wines by the glass, and mingle amongst large |
| different areas, but prefers the relatively | | | | crowds. You will probably be paying close to |
| cool climate of places like France, Germany, | | | | Tasting Room prices, though, so a bottle of |
| Italy and Oregon, where the long (but not too | | | | Pinot Gris will run you 12 to 25 dollars. |
| hot) summer days mingled with cool autumn | | | | |
| weather bring the grapes into perfect | | | | Wine Shops - Most wine shops have prices that |
| ripeness. | | | | are competitive with those found in the |
| | | | supermarkets. Wine shops also carry a nice |
| Pinot Gris grapes grown in Italy (Pinot | | | | variety of wines, but best of all, the owners |
| Grigio) usually produce a somewhat wanting, | | | | or workers will often possess valuable |
| light-colored wine with crisp acidity. German | | | | knowledge that they will share with you most |
| Pinot Gris tends to be medium-bodied, with | | | | whole-heartedly if you promise to buy a |
| good balance between sugar and acidity. | | | | bottle or two. |
| Grapes grown in Oregon tend to produce a wine | | | | |