Pinot Grigio: the wine everyone likes and that pairs wonderfully with everything (vegetables! fish! pasta! schnitzel!)
A wine that makes the sun shine, is perfect with vegetables and also goes incredibly well with everything that swims. Lights out, spotlight on: here is… Pinot Grigio!
That Pinot Grigio is a real crowd-pleaser, according to top sommeliers too, is hardly surprising. Pinot Grigios are generally light (but certainly not watery), easy-going (but with character) and wonderfully crisp and fresh. It is a white wine that goes down wonderfully on the terrace, but is also perfect with food. The lighter styles with light fish and vegetable dishes, and the somewhat richer Pinot Grigios, because they exist too, with lighter meat dishes and poultry, such as chicken or pork tenderloin. Pinot Grigio also holds its own with Asian dishes.
Pinot Grigio from Italy
Pinot Grigio, made from the Italian grape of the same name, comes in different guises. Especially in northern Italy, they know what to do with this cheerful grape. In the somewhat cooler Alto Adige region (the northernmost Italian wine region, also known as South Tyrol), the grapes ripen less, producing plenty of citrus fruit in the resulting wine. Pinot Grigios from Friuli, in the far northeast of Italy on the border with Slovenia, are somewhat richer and fuller, with flavours such as peach, green apple and almonds. Veneto, you know, Romeo and Juliet’s love nest, produces the bulk of Pinot Grigio. These are often more neutral wines, without very pronounced flavours, but still highly approachable and fresh.
Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris & Grauburgunder
Indeed, the grape is planted outside Italy too. In Australia, New Zealand and the US, for example. In the United States, it is even the best-selling white grape after Chardonnay, and, following the Italian example, it is also called Pinot Grigio. Things are different in France and Germany. There, you will find the wine as Pinot Gris (France/Alsace) and Grauburgunder (Germany). It makes sense that the wine does not taste the same everywhere. The difference is particularly noticeable with Pinot Gris from Alsace; this is generally somewhat more complex, fuller and usually somewhat sweeter in flavour. And unlike Pinot Grigios, which are best drunk young so that their fresh character is retained, you can easily lay Pinot Gris down for longer.
A Tavola!
Pinot Grigio is an all-rounder at the table. The list of dishes is endless. As mentioned, it is a super wine for vegetarians because of its beautiful match with vegetables. Pinot Grigio often has refreshing acidity and a hint of chalky minerality. This makes it exceptionally suitable for dishes featuring fish or shellfish. Drizzle over some lemon juice and the enjoyment can begin. Also fantastic: with a schnitzel (again with lemon) or a simple pasta (there it is again: with a little lemon zest), melon with prosciutto di Parma or pasta pesto. If the wine has been aged in oak, it is generally much fuller and richer. In that case, grilled white fish or scallops make for a wonderful feast of flavours!
Serving you: three knockout wines, increasing in price.
Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane igt ‘Barone Montalto’, € 6.49
Delicious wines are made in Sicily. Plenty of reds, whites and fortified wines too, such as the famous Marsala. This Pinot Grigio comes from the same area where sweet Marsala originates (northwestern Sicily). That delicious dry wines are also made here is proven by this fresh and juicy wine. A real easy-drinker to cool yourself down with in the sun. With drinks and a small bite. Tomato bruschetta, for example. Uncomplicated enjoyment!
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie doc ‘L’Elfo’, € 7.35
Lively, fresh and playful. Fruit takes centre stage: juicy pears and peach. Delicious with Asian food, but also with a roast chicken. Don’t serve it with a cream sauce; keep things fresh.
Pinot Grigio Ramato Friuli doc ‘Le Vigne di Zamò, € 20.25
What immediately stands out is the dark colour: this is not pale yellow like most Pinot Grigios, but looks more like a rosé. Then there is the wine itself. It is rich, mouth-filling, full, fresh and fruity, with something chalky. A true food wine, especially delicious with crustaceans and shellfish. Such as stir-fried prawns. Or how about grilled scallops? Deliciously luxurious!
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