Pinot Grigio

Definition - What does Pinot Grigio mean?

In the context of wine styles, pinot grigio is a white wine style made from a red wine grape varietal. The Pinot Grigio wine grape is a dark-skinned grape with French origins and is also known as pinot gris. White wines made with pinot grigio have very pronounced acidity, are full-bodied and have lively perfume like aromas.

WineFrog explains Pinot Grigio

Although pinot grigio is is a white wine, it is actually made using a red grape varietal, not a white grape varietal. Also known as pinot gris, there is often confusion about this versatile and highly regarded varietal and wine style. The pinot grigio grape varietal has been grown in France for hundreds of years, where it is known as pinot gris and is a close relative of the pinot noir grape varietal.

Pinot grigio is used to make white wines with high alcohol content, well developed acidity and is very aromatic, with spicy, fresh fruit flavors. When the pinot grigio grapes ripen, the colors of the grapes in the cluster can range from blue-grey to rusty pink, which gives pinot grigio wines their signature coppery-golden color.