Pinot Grigio grape skins are usually greyish-blue and darker than those of other white wine grapes, giving the appearance more common to red grapes. These grapes are frequently called Pinot Gris — "Pinot" means pine cone and "gris" means "grey" in French. Pinot Grigio wines tend to have deeper colors than other white wines. Pinot Grigio flavors and aromas include fruit rinds, orange peel, and pear skins. Other Pinot Grigio characteristics include deep, dark colors and low acidity.
Pinto Grigio and Terroir
Although Pinot Grigio gapes commonly look almost like red grapes, there is quite a bit of variation and in some places it looks pinkish or almost white. As a consequence, the wines made from Pinot Grigio grapes also vary greatly in appearance — not to mention taste.
- Pinot Grigio from Alsace, France, tends to be full-bodied, floral, and lemony yellow.
- Pinot Grigio from Oregon, USA, tend to be medium-bodied, fruity, and copper-pink in appearance.
- Pinot Grigio from Italy tends to be sweet, acidic, and straw-yellow in color.
