Pinot Grigio – Even better in the Summer

I am a big fan of Pinot Grigio. It is grown in so many different regions of the world, and produces different styles of wines in each. Yet it retains its identity everywhere.

Pinot Grigio is what the Pinot Gris grape is called in Italy.  The name likely originates from the vaguely pine cone or “pinot” shape of the colors, and the slightly gray (“gris” in French) coloring of the fruit. Pinot Gris is thought to be a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape, and researchers at UC Davis have determined that the two varietals have very similar DNA.

While many wine snobs turn their noses up at Pinot Grigio, it is a truly delicious wine that takes many forms. Besides, who cares what some idiot wine snobs think? We can drink their share while they spend their time trying to find some 98 point Cab that probably never made it within three states of them. Dumbasses.

This wine can be paired with all sorts of Summer fare. It goes well with light salads, most cheeses, and a variety of fish and other seafood. It also makes a very nice wine to sip on when it is hot outside.

Anyway, here is a good article from Forbes magazine that touches mainly on Italian Pinot Grigio. It talks a bit more about how the wines are made, the styles from the region, and recommends some examples.

If it sounds as though these pinot grigios are a bit too rich for your blood–and wallet–you’re not alone. After all, as Lindgren notes, “There is a stigma that pinot grigio should be less expensive than your bottled water.”

If money is no object, however (and it’s all about taste for you), to find which style suits your palate, put a bottle of the cheap stuff next to the expensive stuff and try them both. Which one you like best is simply the bottle with the least amount of wine remaining by the end of the afternoon.

Just remember to come into an experiment like this relaxed and open-minded (just as you should be on the weekend); there’s no stigma attached to drinking pinot grigio.

There’s also no promise that these pinot grigios will make you feel young again, as when you first tried that swig of Santa Margherita. But, assuming your wine preferences have changed since then, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

View Comments to “Pinot Grigio – Even better in the Summer”

1. Steve Says:
   July 18th, 2008 at 5:23 am

   Joe!
   I totally agree…in fact, yesterday I had an awesome opportunity to go and sample a bunch of Italian wines distributed by Kobrand…and there were some huge reds…barolos, montepulcianos, sassicaia, and I ended up going backwards..after I had all these big meaty reds, I decided to finish with a few of the pinot grigios they had and they were really refreshing, (not too mention easy on the wallet…).

2. Steve Says:
   July 18th, 2008 at 6:23 am

   Joe!
   I totally agree…in fact, yesterday I had an awesome opportunity to go and sample a bunch of Italian wines distributed by Kobrand…and there were some huge reds…barolos, montepulcianos, sassicaia, and I ended up going backwards..after I had all these big meaty reds, I decided to finish with a few of the pinot grigios they had and they were really refreshing, (not too mention easy on the wallet…).

3. Joe Power Says:
   July 19th, 2008 at 6:20 am

   That sounds like a great tasting, Steve. Easy on the wallet is always a good thing, especially these days.

4. Joe Power Says:
   July 19th, 2008 at 7:20 am

   That sounds like a great tasting, Steve. Easy on the wallet is always a good thing, especially these days.

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