Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio

The country of origin of Pinot Gris is France. In the Vitis International Variety Catalogue it appears under the prime name Pinot Gris as variety number 9275, with the colour of its berry skin recorded as gris. No parents are recorded for Pinot Gris: its passport entry names no parent and gives the pedigree, as given by breeder/bibliography, as "PINOT NOIR MUTATION". Pinot Gris is a white-wine-producing mutation of Pinot Noir, and its leaves are almost identical to those of Pinot Noir.

• Country of origin: France
• VIVC variety number: 9275; prime name Pinot Gris; berry skin colour gris
• Parents: none recorded
• Pedigree as given by breeder/bibliography: Pinot Noir mutation

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are two names for the same white grape variety: Pinot Grigio is the Italian name and Pinot Gris is the French name. The grape's skins have a rosey-grey tone, hence the name gris or grigio, meaning grey in French and Italian respectively. It has for centuries been sanctioned in Burgundy, where it is known as Pinot Beurot and can be found in some older Pinot Noir vineyards, and Henri Gouges of Nuits St Georges makes a full-bodied white wine based on it; in the Loire it is often known as Malvoisie, as it is in Switzerland, particularly in the Valais. A famous legend holds that around 1565 Baron Lazare of Schwendi brought vine plants from the city of Tokay in Hungary and ordered them planted in Kientzheim, though several ampelographers find it plausible that the grapes were not related to the famous Hungarian wine. In Alsace the variety was called Grauer Tokayer before 1870 and was then successively named Tokay Gris, Tokay d'Alsace, Tokay Pinot Gris and finally, on April 1, 2007, Pinot Gris. In Germany, the synonym Ruländer goes back to the merchant Johann Ruland, who in 1711 found the vines, unknown to him, in a garden in the small Palatinate town of Speyer and propagated them. The grape is thought to have been introduced to Italy in the mid-19th century.

• Pinot Grigio is the Italian name and Pinot Gris the French name for the same white grape variety
• Gris and grigio mean grey in French and Italian, after the skins' rosey-grey tone
• Burgundy: known as Pinot Beurot and found in some older Pinot Noir vineyards
• Loire and Switzerland (particularly the Valais): often known as Malvoisie
• Alsace names: Grauer Tokayer before 1870, then Tokay Gris, Tokay d'Alsace, Tokay Pinot Gris and, from April 1, 2007, Pinot Gris
• Ruländer: named after the merchant Johann Ruland, who found and propagated the vines in Speyer in 1711

The Pinot Gris style is closely associated with Alsace AOC: dry, off-dry or medium, with medium acidity and full body, often harvested later and often made from low yields of extra-ripe grapes, with a fermentation that may be interrupted. In Alsace it is, along with Riesling and Gewürztraminer, regarded as one of the region's 'noble' white wine grapes, and its ability to reach high alcohol levels makes it a candidate for the late-picked Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles categories. Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer are all eligible for grand cru status, and since the 2021 vintage the level of sweetness must be indicated on Alsace labels using a standardised scale. The Alsace Grands Crus are made up of 51 terroirs delimited by strict geological and climatic criteria, situated on the sub-Vosgian hills between 200 and 400 metres above sea level, and their wines account for about 5% of production. Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles can be added to labels of the Alsace or Alsace Grands Crus appellations; both were officially recognised by a ministerial decree of March 1, 1984, must have a particularly high sugar content when harvested, and can only be sold after ageing for 18 months. Pinot Gris d'Alsace is yellow-gold and can reveal typically smoky notes and aromas of dried fruit, apricot, honey, beeswax and gingerbread, with an ample, fleshy palate, a full-bodied structure and a long finish. One critic lists Ernest Burn's Clos St Imer Grand Cru Goldert and Zind Humbrecht's Clos St Urbain Grand Cru Rangen or Clos Jebsal among top wines, and late-harvest wines visited by noble rot include a Zind-Humbrecht Clos St-Urbain Pinot Gris SGN 1989.

• Style: dry, off-dry or medium; medium acidity; full-bodied; often harvested later from low yields of extra-ripe grapes
• One of the region's 'noble' white wine grapes, with Riesling and Gewürztraminer
• Grand cru eligible alongside Riesling and Gewurztraminer; 51 Grands Crus terroirs on the sub-Vosgian hills, about 5% of production
• Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles: recognised by ministerial decree of March 1, 1984; sold only after 18 months of ageing
• Tasting notes: yellow-gold; smoky notes, dried fruit, apricot, honey, beeswax, gingerbread; ample and fleshy with a long finish

The Pinot Grigio style is dry, fermented to dryness, with medium to high acidity and light body, often harvested early, and simple and of light intensity when made from high yields of grapes; this style is widely produced in Italy and labelled as delle Venezie DOC and Veneto IGT, while a more complex and fuller-bodied style of Italian Pinot Grigio can be found in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northern Italy's eastern corner. Figures published in 2017 on the distribution of the world's grapevine varieties put Italy's Pinot Gris at 25 000 ha, 3.7% of the Italian vineyard area, and, with Italy's total vineyard area having declined by roughly 20% over the preceding 15 years, name Glera (+24%) and Pinot Gris (+34%) as the only varieties to have increased their area. It is produced in Veneto, Friuli and, to a lesser extent, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna, and Alto Adige is also known for Pinot Grigio with complexity and depth. One critic singles out examples, particularly from Friuli's white wine heartland Collio, that are "stunningly fruity with real zest and a blossomy scent", and lists Vie di Romans' Pinot Grigio Dessimus and Lis Neris's Gris, Friuli, among top wines. Stephen Brook has written of a 'big gap in quality between the average supermarket Pinot Grigio and the full-bodied wines from the best corners of Friuli'. Ramato, from the Italian rame, meaning copper, is a historical winemaking style from Friuli made with Pinot Grigio grapes: when the skins of the crushed grapes spend time with the juice, the wine takes on a tactile texture and coppery hue. Some producers use short maceration for fresher, lighter wines that often have a slight peach tinge, while longer maceration yields richer, autumnal shades. As the Italian wine expert and educator Henry Davar puts it, 'It was made in this style up until the 1960s, when producer Santa Margherita began exporting Pinot Grigio in the style most consumers are familiar with today.' Producers of ramato in Friuli include Scarbolo, Le Vigne di Zamò, Specogna, Radikon, Stocco, Attems and Damijan.

• Style: dry, medium to high acidity, light-bodied, often harvested early; widely labelled as delle Venezie DOC and Veneto IGT
• A more complex, fuller-bodied style comes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia
• Italy: 25 000 ha of Pinot Gris, 3.7% of the vineyard area, area up 34% (figures published in 2017)
• Regions: Veneto, Friuli and, to a lesser extent, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna; Alto Adige also known for complexity and depth
• Ramato: Friuli's historical skin-contact style of Pinot Grigio, named from rame, copper
• Ramato producers in Friuli: Scarbolo, Le Vigne di Zamò, Specogna, Radikon, Stocco, Attems, Damijan

In 2023 almost 8,237 hectares, or 8.1% of the German vineyard area, were planted with Pinot Gris, with around 2,398 hectares in Baden, nearly 2,424 hectares in Rheinhessen, about 2,235 hectares in the Palatinate (Pfalz) and about 396 hectares in the Nahe. In the past it was often referred to by the synonym Ruländer, mostly for sweet and full-bodied wines, whereas Pinot Gris was predominantly vinified dry. Grauburgunder denotes the sleeker, drier style, which harmonises with many types of food, while the richer, fuller-bodied and more fragrant version is called Ruländer. In Baden in particular it is an important variety labelled as Grauburgunder, prized as a partner to the new season's asparagus, and tends to be lower in alcohol and often a little higher in acidity than Alsatian Pinot Gris; producers such as Bercher, Dr Heger and Salwey are lowering yields, picking riper grapes and even ageing some wines in small oak barrels, and Ruländer on a German label generally signifies a deliberately sweeter wine, often made from grapes concentrated to a certain extent by botrytis. In the vineyard, the variety thrives particularly well on loess terraces but also on chalky soil and stony subsoils, is not very susceptible to disease and is hardly sensitive to frost, and its dense berry structure facilitates botrytis for noble sweet wines. It is planted throughout eastern Europe, notably in Austria, where it can yield extremely full-bodied wines, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Russia, Moldova and Hungary, where it is named Szürkebarát, and elsewhere it tends to travel under some local adaptation of Pinot Gris. Its ability to reach relatively high alcohol levels adds lustre to its reputation in Luxembourg.

• Germany: almost 8,237 ha in 2023, 8.1% of the vineyard area
• Regional plantings: Rheinhessen nearly 2,424 ha, Baden around 2,398 ha, Pfalz about 2,235 ha, Nahe about 396 ha
• Grauburgunder denotes the sleeker, drier style; Ruländer the richer, fuller-bodied, more fragrant and deliberately sweeter version
• German producers making more concentrated Grauburgunder: Bercher, Dr Heger, Salwey
• Eastern Europe: Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Russia, Moldova, and Hungary as Szürkebarát

New Zealand Pinot Gris is fresh and full-flavoured, with notes of apple, pear, honeysuckle, spice and bread, and more akin to Alsace in style than the drier Pinot Grigio. Breaking on to the New Zealand scene in the early 1990s, it is now the country's third most popular white variety. The warmer North Island climate tends to create ripe, fat, oily styles, while the cooler South Island produces tighter wines with great structure; Gisborne styles are generally rich, with ripe peach, baked pear, spice and golden apples. Barrel ageing, fermenting with native, wild yeasts, and lees stirring are common New Zealand winemaking practices to build texture, mouthfeel and complexity. Its popularity in New Zealand has seen a marked increase, particularly in the South Island but also at Dry River in Martinborough. In Oregon, wines labelled Pinot Gris have developed quite a following, and further north Pinot Gris from the likes of Blue Mountain and Burrowing Owl are some of British Columbia's most sought-after white wines. In California, plantings of Pinot Gris increased quite significantly in the late 1990s; one or two seriously interesting Pinot Gris have emerged from higher altitude vineyards in Argentina's Mendoza region; Australia's limited but growing plantings tend to be in cooler parts of Victoria, because in too hot a climate the grapes lose what little acidity they have; and L'Ormarins was the pioneer of the variety in South Africa. One critic lists Ponzi's best Pinot Gris, Oregon, among top wines, and the grape makes excellent wines in places including Michigan and Oregon in the US.

• New Zealand: arrived in the early 1990s; now the third most popular white variety; more akin to Alsace than to Pinot Grigio in style
• North Island: ripe, fat, oily styles; South Island: tighter wines with great structure
• Common New Zealand practices: barrel ageing, wild-yeast fermentation, lees stirring
• Oregon: wines labelled Pinot Gris have developed quite a following; British Columbia: Blue Mountain and Burrowing Owl
• California plantings increased in the late 1990s; higher-altitude Mendoza; cooler parts of Victoria in Australia; L'Ormarins the pioneer in South Africa

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris grows primarily in cool or moderate climates and produces two distinct styles, with wines that can range from medium to high in acidity and light to full in body; the main differences are determined by grape-growing and ripeness at harvesting. Both styles are typically fermented in inert vessels to preserve their fruity flavours, and more concentrated full-bodied examples can develop notes of ginger and honey over time in the bottle. Pinot Gris is one of the darkest-skinned grapes producing white wine, with grapes that vary from grey-blue to brownish pink, sometimes on the same bunch, and wine that tends to be quite deep golden, even copper-toned; it is relatively soft, rarely has very marked acidity, can be relatively high in alcohol depending on ripeness at picking, and can be full-bodied with quite a spicy perfume. In very general terms, a wine labelled Pinot Grigio is much less likely to have seen any oak than one labelled Pinot Gris. German Pinot Gris is often matured in steel tanks, in large wooden barrels or in barriques, and ranges in colour from pale yellow to golden yellow or even amber. Characteristics of different styles might include orchard fruits such as apples and pears, delicate floral aromas, spices, honey and a touch of citrus. As David Way, wine qualifications developer at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, puts it: 'The key thing to learn is that there's more than one style.'

• Climate: primarily cool or moderate
• Range: medium to high acidity; light to full body; differences driven by grape-growing and ripeness at harvest
• Both styles typically fermented in inert vessels; concentrated full-bodied examples can develop ginger and honey in bottle
• One of the darkest-skinned grapes producing white wine; wine quite deep golden, even copper-toned
• Wines labelled Pinot Grigio are much less likely to have seen oak than those labelled Pinot Gris, in very general terms

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=9275 ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/media/13022/wset_l2wines_sessionplans_en_may2023_issue2.pdf ; https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5888/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/powerful-and-intense/pinot-gris-dalsace/ ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/ ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/aoc/vendanges-tardives/ ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/aoc/selection-de-grains-nobles/ ; https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/100/pinot-gris ; https://www.nzwine.com/en/winestyles/pinot-gris/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/pinot-gris ; https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/pinot-grigio ; https://www.decanter.com/learn/pinot-grigio-vs-pinot-gris-is-there-a-difference-454763/ ; https://www.decanter.com/learn/ramato-wine-ask-decanter-426324/ Last verified 2026-10-04