Far from insipid

TO the handful of sommeliers and wine critics who constantly say that Pinot Gris turns out an innocuous, bland tasting and uninteresting wine, I say this: Please let wine drinkers decide whether they want to drink this varietal!

Pinot Gris has been with us since the Middle Ages and is made into wine in both New World and Old World wine countries. As a sibling of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris is made into a white wine. Its namesake is appropriate since gris is French for “grey”, which refers to the grape’s greyish hued skin.

In Italy, the grape and wine is called Pinot Grigio. Vineyards of it are planted in the Lombardy region, the Trentino Alto Adige, Italy’s northern-most wine region, the Marche, and also in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

Most of Italian Pinot Grigio is made into a light, crisp neutral white wine – and I suspect this neutrality in taste is why the wine has been criticised, so here is my argument in favour of the wine.

I do not see why a wine that tastes neutral should not be a pleasurable drink. It’s not always that I want my wine to taste of vanilla, toast, and peaches/tropical fruit (Chardonnay); or lychees and roses (Gewurztraminer); or grass, asparagus, and grapefruit (Sauvignon Blanc).

Neutral tasting wines that are light, tart, and slightly “minerally” like Pinot Grigio are the perfect accompaniment to deep-fried, salty seafood.

My first taste of Pinot Grigio was in an Italian restaurant in Sydney, Australia. My friend Renzo, an expat Italian banker, ordered up the wine to accompany Frito Misto Di Mare, a platter of battered light bites consisting of whitebait, calamari, fish, mussels, and other seafood delectables served with a wedge of lemon and sea salt on the side.

The tangy, slightly citrus-tasting Pinot Grigio served as a pleasant contrast to the salty and crispy seafood. It was also a cold refreshing drink that we thoroughly enjoyed – and because it was neutral, it did not add any other flavours to the seafood except to mirror the taste of some lemon we squeezed over our dish!

Decades later, I still recall the wine, a Marco Felluga Russiz Superiore Pinot Grigio Collio Fruili.

I encountered Pinot Grigio again in France – only it was called Alsace Tokay Pinot Gris (since 2007, however, “Tokay” has been left out of the name of the wine).

Alsace Pinot Gris is hardly insipid. Perhaps it is the warm volcanic soils and the cool climate of Alsace, but the French Pinot Gris is far from uninteresting with its spicy and smoky nose allied with a velvety textured taste.

Indeed, many wine lovers have described its taste as combining the heady perfume and rich aroma of Gewürztraminer with the acidity one associates with Riesling. Even so, there is a range of tastes in Alsace Pinot Gris – from the dry and lightly sweet to the syrupy sweet late harvest style – all perfectly suited to food.

I enjoyed a Pinot Gris by Josmeyer called Le Fromenteau. Its honeyed texture deemed it the perfect partner for sweet sour fish or sushi with lots of wasabe.

Another favourite is the Domaine Ringenbach Moser Pinot Gris cuvee Tradition – with mineral-white flowers on the nose and a flavour of orange and pink grapefruit, the soft and round wine went perfectly with soba noodles.

The most recent Pinot Gris I tasted was at a culinary challenge at which chefs were asked to pair Asian dishes with Alsatian wines. The wine was a Frey Sohler Rittersberg Pinot Gris.

With a distinguished nose of white fruits, mushrooms, and a velvety texture, the wine turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to grilled scallops, Chinese style. I also discovered that the wine had an uncanny ability to match meats.

Indeed, many wine drinkers of the wine consider that it has red wine capabilities because of its rich texture.

Pinot Gris is not limited to Italy and France. It is also planted in South America, Switzerland, Hungary and Romania, and is popular in Canada and Australia as well.

Probably the most interesting development for Pinot Gris is that, currently, many vignerons (wine-making grape growers) in New Zealand are planting the grape because they are finding it grows well in their country.

This is despite a critic’s warning that New Zealand should stick to her successful varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Apparently, after tasting some Kiwi Pinot Gris, the critic pronounced the wine to be nothing more than scented water.

My tastings revealed otherwise. The New Zealand style is yet to be defined, and the wines of four producers, each from a different region, are an indication of the fascinating tastes you could get from Pinot Gris.

From Central Otago, the southern-most region, Quartz Reef’s wine showed pears, apricots and, peaches; was medium-bodied (in the German style); and lightly sweet.

From Marlborough, on South Island, Isabel’s wine had tropical and citrus fruits.

From Martinborough on North Island, Escarpment’s wine had apple and pineapple aromas; and a fresh, crisp, medium-bodied finish (reminiscent of the Italian version but not as light).

From Hawke’s Bay, south-east of North Island, Bilancia’s version was full-bodied (in the French Alsace style); rich and creamy; warm, with floral, nutty, apricot flavours – reminiscent of a Muscat or Viognier.

Pinot Gris is far from insipid tasting and boring!

Some other Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio’s to try:

France – Zind-Humbrecht, Schlumberger, Beyer, Dopff & Irion, Hugel, Ostertag.

Italy – Lageder, Livio Felluga, Schiopetto, Elena Walch, Boccadigabbia, Jerman.

United States – Archery Summit, Ponzi, Eyrie Vineyards, Etude, Hanley, King Estate.