Too Easy Pinot Gris

Easy as Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris (AKA Pinot Grigio - yes, it’s actually the same variety!) is an aromatic white variety whose style depends on where it is grown, and how early (or late) in the growing season it’s harvested. Pinot Grigio, traditionally grown in the cool foothills of the Italian Alps, is picked early, producing crisp, light-bodied, dry and minerally whites that are high in acidity. These wines are brilliant with foods of this area, so close to Venice: spaghetti vongole, fried calamari or even the rare-veal-slices-with-tuna-mayo classic vitello tonnato would be delicious matches. Pinot Gris is picked later in France’s Alsace region, leading to riper grapes that are higher in sugar (and potential alcohol) and have more intensity of flavour and colour. The resulting wines are usually more full-bodied than the Grigio style and have a more textural mouthfeel, making them perfect to match to the richer, fattier or spiced foods of that region: roast pork or braised ham hocks, pâté de foie gras or intense cheeses like Comté or Mimolette. For this collection, we're on the Gris side of the fence, so expect wines with just a bit more weight and flavour.

Three tasty Pinot Gris to try

In this special pack you'll enjoy: Early Rider Pinot Gris 2025 What a way to start! There is a light, summery edge to this wine with balanced pear, honeysuckle and lemon zest notes which makes this perfect for warm weather. There's delicate ginger spice and a soft, supple texture to keep things easy. Riversdale Estate Pinot Gris 2024 Is this rosé or Pinot Gris? For anyone who hasn't seen a Pinot Gris grape in the wild, the berries are actually pink, and this richly textured and vibrantly fruity Pinot Gris shows it perfectly! Fermented in oak barrels, this luscious, pear-drenched wine has an easy, appley roundness that makes it such a delicious and interesting drink, especially when poured ice cold. Eight at the Gate 'Single Vineyard' Pinot Gris 2024 According to the back label on this Pinot Gris, this wine has 'fragrant fruit blossom'. Who are we to argue? You can smell some of the blossoms, along with pear and melon and a bit of rockmelon. It's like a fruit salad of a wine, with plenty of juicy fruit and still plenty crisp to finish.

Fun Fact about Pinot Gris

This grape - although actually pink - is named for the dusty grey colour of its skin: Gris = grey in French, Grigio in Italian, and Grau in German, where it’s called Grauburgunder! But it’s also called Tokay d’Alsace. So there you go.