Pinot Gris vs Pinot Grigio - A one sided affair

Firstly, lets clear up a common misconception. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are one and the same. Both come from the Pinot Gris grape variety, with the difference between the pair relating more to where it was traditionally grown - and the associated stylistic differences - than anything else.

Pinot Gris itself is actually a highly variable mutation of Pinot Noir, with 'Pinot' referring to the pine cone shaped bunches that characterise the 'Pinot' group of varieties. The grapes themselves range from a greyish blue to a brownish pink - often on the same bunch! The varietal name follows this closely; Pinot Gris is French, Pinot Grigio is Italian for 'Grey Pinot' '; Pinot Noir - French for 'Red Pinot' & the little seen, pale, highly aromatic Pinot Blanc - French for 'White Pinot'.

The challenge then is to establish the characteristics of Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio under this cloud of variability. To do this, we look at both styles in their traditional homelands.
Firstly, Pinot Gris: The traditional home of Pinot Gris is Alsace, located on the border between France & Germany, in an area that has regularly changed hands between France & Germany for generations. In Alsace, Pinot Gris (which is also locally referred to as Tokay) has traditionally been associated with very rich, dry white wines that are known for their palate texture and viscosity. Picked quite late, the wines are relatively high in alcohol, low in aroma and almost Chardonnay like in their palate weight, also retaining great palate acidity, with the best examples capable of ageing for considerable periods (up to a decade). This Pinot Gris style may also undergo some wood ageing and yeast work in the winery, making for a creamier, richer wine again.

In direct contrast with this style is traditional Pinot Grigio. As we found out earlier, Pinot Grigio is the Italian name for Pinot Gris, and in Italy it finds a home in Northern Italy, where the plantings have exploded over the last decade, in line with the worldwide popularity of the style. Most of Italy's Pinot Grigio is produced in the Veneto region, where it is made in a very dry, neutral and crisp style that is more Sauvignon Blanc (without the lifted aromatics) in style than the richer Pinot Gris of France. Early picked, quite low in alcohol and almost boring in its neutrality, the best examples are crisp, understated and refreshing food wines. Renowned wine taster James Halliday describes it best:

"Like painting a picture with white paint (NZ winemaker), or losing a blind tasting against Evian (Robert Joseph, UK wine journalist) are my usual reference points for pinot grigio."

So essentially we have two very different wine interpretations, both coming from the same grape, just treated differently. The challenge in much of the new world (ie outside of Europe) is that the stylistic definition between Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio is blurred - lean Pinot Gris, rich ripe Pinot Grigio and a lake of watery rubbish in between.

The greatest successes of the variety have largely come from the cooler climate regions of Australia: Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Adelaide Hills & Tasmania. In New Zealand the variety has found success in Martinborough in the North Island & Marlborough, Central Otago & Canterbury in the South Island. Mostly it is the Pinot Gris (French) style that is favoured (arguably as it is the more interesting of the two), with Pinot Grigio largely relegated to much more commercial level wines.

If ever there was a wine that requires you to read the tasting notes before purchasing, it is Pinot Gris (or is that Grigio)!

Andrew Graham

What we've been drinking

Voyager Estate Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2001
The bottle we tried was a little dried out, but still an excellent example of classic cool climate Cabernet. Leafy, cassis & secondary cedar on the nose, the palate linear, very dry and showing a little meaty developed characters. It's very Bordeaux like in its savoury character & would be fantastic with a lamb rack.

Hoddles Creek 1er Cru Pinot Blanc 2008
Seriously sexy packaging. The bottle is enormous (can't see this fitting into many wine racks) & the label is ornately European. The wine itself is quite European too, with a crystalline honey character to it that is very pure and light. Very dry and pure, this really needs some bottle age to flesh out. Drink with a Thai Noodle salad

Going Organic

Once upon a time, organic products were mostly reserved for the hippie-types. Today, consumers are more eco-savvy and eco-friendly than ever before. Organic products have found its way into the mainstream market. This is great for the wine industry with producers and consumers embracing it on both sides of the supply and demand market.

Organic wine has been around for some time, though till now, has not been taken too seriously. There are varying differences of organically made wine and I will briefly discuss the differences between organic wines, bio-dynamic wines and preservative free/ low preservative wines.

Organic Wines:

Organic viticulture and production practices are designed to work in harmony with nature and the seasons in order for the vineyard to be self-sustainable, not only for upcoming vintages, but for future generations.

Organic wine is available in two forms. The first being, wine produced from organic grapes and the second is wine which not only contains organic grapes, but which is also processed using organic methods. Organic grapes are free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, weed killers or other synthetic chemicals. Essential natural preservatives like sulphur dioxide are kept to a minimum. (A standard wine may have 400 parts per million or more of sulphur. Most organic wines are limited to125 parts per million or less of sulphur.) In the vineyard, grapes are selectively hand-picked, whilst in the winery; wine is treated gently with minimal handling. Additionally, any winemaking equipment must be washed without the use of any chemicals. Winemakers pay careful attention to minimise the need of cultured yeasts in organic winemaking, as this is reduced by the farming itself, for wild yeasts remain present, not having been eliminated by weed killers or insecticides. Winemakers also practice minimal filtration and fining methods.

Bio-Dynamic Wines:

Bio-Dynamics is a method of organic viticulture that incorporates organic principles and is heavily influenced by the theories of Rudolf Steiner. Bio-dynamic vineyards are designed to be self sufficient. Work on a bio-dynamic vineyard is timed to coincide with the earths natural rhythms ( determined by the position of earth relative to the sun, moon and other planets) throughout the year. Another major element of bio-dynamic farming is the use of natural preparations to nurture and enlivened the soil.

As for organics, no synthetic chemicals of any kind (fertilisers, herbicides, insecticides etc) are used, but in addition, biodynamic preparations are sprayed on soil and vines. These preparations (made from cow manure, silica , and extracts from various pants) encouragenatural biological processes that result in a healthy structured aerobic soil. Healthy soil s form the basis of a balanced ecosystem in which vines can access nutrients in optimal amounts ,allowing them to produceidealfruit and avoiding many pest and disease problems which can occur if nutrients in the soil (and subsequently plant foliage) are out of balance.

In the winery, the bio-dynamic winemaker will also take into account the earths rhythms when carrying out certain winery activities.

Low Preservative / Preservative-Free Wines:
The main difference between organic wines and low preservative / preservative-free wines, the latter is made without sulphur dioxide and former may contain lower amounts than standard wines. Sulphur has also been used as a preservative in winemaking for centuries. To prevent wine spoilage, European winemakers pioneered the use of sulphur dioxide (SO2). Unfortunately, freshly pressed grape juice has a tendency for spoilage due to contamination from bacteria and wild yeasts present on the grape skins. Not only does SO2 inhibit the growth of moulds and bacteria, it stops oxidation and preserves the wine's natural flavour and colour. This is not to say that wines with very little S02 are impervious to oxidation, rather, the shelf life of low preservative / preservative free wines can be comparable to standard wines. The alcohol and tannin present will act as natural preservatives in wine, negating the need for huge amounts of SO2.

Whilst sulphur poses no danger to 99.75% of the population, the affected population are highly allergic with asthmatics, particularly highest at risk. Having said that, many people have little tolerance for sulphur. Even for moderate wine drinkers, the average level of sulphur found in many standard wines can cause side effects. Unpleasant reactions include migraines, hives, cramps and skin flushes. For those affected, preservative free or low preservative wines is a good choice as they contain minimal amounts of sulphur.

Certification:
Though there are seven certification authorities for organic farming in Australia, the vast majority of organic-wine grape growers operate under the Big Three.

Demeter is the oldest certification seal in Australia. It's administered by the Bio-Dynamic Research Institute and only certifies organic produce from biodynamic growers who follow the beliefs of Austrian philosopher/scientist Rudolf Steiner.

The next oldest organisation is the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia Ltd (NASAA), which holds the rights to the "certified organic" label and has strong links with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

Third of the trio is the more recently established Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), which merged with the Organic Vignerons Association of Australia to get a bigger share in organic wine production. The BFA administers the Australian Certified Organic scheme, which allows the display of its bud logo on certified products.

Organic production should definitely be considered. Whilst it is a matter of personal taste and opinion, organic winemaking increases the final quality of the product, which is what we are all after. Bringing with it many health and environmental benefits as additional positives.

Winemakers Choice now stock a variety of high quality Organic, Bio-Dynamic and Preservative Free wines from Happs, Botobolar, Hardys & More. Why not try them and see the difference. We're sure you will be impressed with the quality on offer.
Check them out here