What Does Pinot Grigio Taste Like? Does Pinot Grigio Taste Good?

All white wine lovers recommend Pinot Grigio as a great wine for many reasons. The Pinot Grigio grape variety comes from both France and Italy and yields a refreshing white wine.

In the United States, it’s second only to Chardonnay when it comes to most sought-after whites.

You might be curious to know what does pinot grigio taste like, and how to enjoy it.

With the help of this article, you’ll get a better understanding of this popular white wine. Moreover, you will find out which foods pair well with Pinot grigio. Also, you will get an answer to the query What Does Pinot Grigio Taste Like?

What is Pinot Grigio?

An Italian grape variety commonly known as Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris in French), Pinot Grigio is a white grape variety belonging to the Pinot family.

Ripe grapes have greyish-blue colored skins (grey means gray in Italian).

A white wine made from this grayish-blue grape is light, crisp, and dry. In France (Burgundy), Pinot Grigio is originally grown.

Currently, it is primarily produced in the Alsace region and northern Italy. There are great pinot grigio wines from Oregon, California, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, and Germany as well.

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same wine. Pinot Grigio is the Italian grape variety, while Pinot Gris is only grown in France.

What Does Pinot Grigio Taste Like? Does Pinot Grigio Taste Good?

This wine is mild and acidic on the palate and boasts a mild, fruity flavor profile. There are usually citrus, minerals, and green apple flavors in its flavor profile.

Depending on where they’re grown, some pinot grigios taste slightly salty, with honey and honeysuckle-like notes.

Pinot Grigio from Italy, for example, is usually fully dry with excellent acidity and notes of almond.

In contrast, French Pinot Gris has faint notes of honey and is unctuous and fleshy. 

There are many flavors in Pinot grigio wine, such as apple, white nectarine, pear, lime, lemon, almond, honey, honeysuckle, spices, and citrus.

You might also wonder whether pinot grigio is dry or sweet. In short, it depends.

Due to its high acidity, it is generally dry and not sweet. Northern Italy is a common area to find this variety.

Pinot Grigio comes in two different flavors. There are times when cheap wine contains residual sugar, especially if it was purchased cheaply. Pinot Gris wines from Alsace are another example.

There are several spice notes in Pinot Gris wines from Alsace, including clove, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and Meyer lemon.

You will also notice a tingling aftertaste. Due to the late harvest, the grapes have a low acidity level, making their flavor profile distinctive.

Pinot grigio nutrition facts per 50 ounces serving:

• 13.4% alcohol
• 2.5g of carbohydrates
• 109 calories
• 0.09 grams of sugar

You should note that each brand of pinot grigio will have its nutritional value.

In this sense, the figures mentioned above are meant only as an estimate of what you can expect from this drink.

How to Drink Pinot Grigio Properly?

Now let’s take a look at how you can drink Pinot Grigio in the best possible way.

The refreshing and zesty nature of Pinot Gris/Grigio makes it an ideal pairing with raw fish, fresh vegetables, and lighter meals.

In addition, it would be best if you served the crisper and lighter Pinot grigio chilled and consumed it young.

Pinot Gris is a classic wine that can be enjoyed while young; however, if stored properly, it ages beautifully.

Wines like Pinot grigio, with their crisp, unoaked style and medium body, make excellent food wines.

It’s because the meal stands out due to its relatively subtle flavors and aromas. 

Shellfish and fish make the perfect pairing for Pinot Gris. In addition to creamy pasta, salads, and white fish, we recommend trying it.

Pinot Grigio/Gris from New Zealand and Alsace Pinot Gris may be suitable for Asian-inspired dishes.

These wines pair well with Asian cuisine because they have hints of sweetness.

You’ll need to pick foods that are complementary to Pinot Grigio because it’s an acidic wine.

Thus, it should not be paired with acidic dishes like those cooked with tomatoes.

If you prefer, you can substitute something lighter like cream or garlic for the cream sauce.

Conclusion

It is an extremely popular white wine, which is called Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris, all over the world.

It has hints of tropical fruit, citrus, and trees as well as being dry, light, crisp, and moderately acidic.

Furthermore, shellfish and fish pair perfectly with the wine.

If you want to read more about drinks, read here: Drinks Tips and Tricks.