Pinot Pinot Pinot!
Whenever someone says “I love Pinot!”, we always assume they mean Pinot Noir. We could
be wrong. After all, there are several other worthy members of the Pinot family.
Pinot Gris (as in France) or Pinot Grigio (as in Italy, same wine) is a friendly, easy-to-love
white quaffer that has earned many fans here in the U.S. in recent years. Pinot Grigio is
Italy’s most popular white wine and in the U.S. ranks behind Chardonnay and Sauvignon
Blanc. It’s rise in America has been rapid-fire. As noted in Charlie Olken and Joseph
Furstenthal’s excellent reference, The New Connoisseurs’ Guidebook to California Wine &
Wineries, “Just 20 years ago, there was no recorded Pinot Gris acreage in California, and
even ten years ago, there were just nine hundred acres standing in local vineyards. Today,
the California plantings have risen to 12,600 acres….” For a wine, that’s an overnight
success.
Can you tell the difference between Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio? That depends on where it
comes from. In France, the wine has a thicker texture than Italian Pinot Grigio, whose
Pinot Pinot Pinot!
acidity is the star. In contrast, California winemakers turn out Pinot Gris and Grigio that has
less acidity and more fruitiness. Oregon Pinot Gris is typically low in alcohol, high in acidity
with excellent minerality.
Then, there’s Pinot Blanc. If you’re drinking this white wine, it’s likely from France’s
Alsace region or Germany, although a handful are produced in California. Oregon is high on
Pinot Blanc, though only a few hundred acres are planted. It can be a refreshing white full
of citrus flavors, sometimes with a tart, lemony zing.
Good luck finding the red varietal, Pinot Meunier. It is most likely part of the blend in
sparkling wine. It is one of the three main varietals (including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
in French Champagne.
Last but certainly not least, Is the family scion, Pinot Noir. We can’t call it the granddaddy
of our other Pinots since most experts refer to its “offspring” as clonal mutations.
However, we can call it the “noble grape” and one of the worlds most sought-after reds. It is
the lightest bodied red varietal, a natural bridge from whites to reds. Its signature California
appellations include Napa Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley (Sonoma),
Anderson Valley (Mendocino) Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey), Sta. Rita Hills (Santa
Barbara).
Want to explore Pinot further? Visit www.pinotpatch.com, all Pinot, all the time. Enjoy!