Pinot Gris: Not Yo Mama's Pinot Grigio!

Viticulture & Viniculture

• Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio depending upon which one is more familiar to you) is a hardy mutation of Pinot Noir. Although traditionally classified as a white grape it actually features dark skinned grapes that vary in color from blue to pink to grey to brown. The lends a coppery cast to most finished wines.
• It ripens early, which gives it the higher acidity
• It thrives in heavy dark soils
• Occasionally it is fermented on its skins to make orange wines 
• It rarely sees Malolactic Fermentation or oak aging to preserve acidity.

Common Characteristics

Something to keep in mind is that Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are almost completely different wines, even though they are biologically the same grape.