Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same grape variety — grey-skinned mutation of Pinot Noir — but the name signals the style: Italian Pinot Grigio is typically crisp, light, and neutral; Alsatian Pinot Gris and Oregon Pinot Gris are richer, more textured, and more aromatic. Wooden Cork carries expressions from northern Italy, Alsace, and Oregon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris?

Both names refer to the same grape variety — Pinot Grigio is the Italian name, Pinot Gris is the French and widely used international name. The difference is in the winemaking style each name implies. Italian Pinot Grigio — particularly from Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto — is typically harvested early for high acidity, fermented cool in stainless steel, and bottled young. The result is lean, crisp, and neutral: green apple, lemon zest, light pear, and very little aromatic complexity. Alsatian Pinot Gris is harvested later with more skin contact and often ferments in oak or neutral barrels, producing a substantially richer, more textured wine with stone fruit, honey, and spice. Oregon Pinot Gris, influenced by the Alsatian model, falls in between — more aromatic than most Italian versions but generally less rich than Alsace. When a label says Pinot Grigio, expect crispness; when it says Pinot Gris, expect more body and complexity.

Why does Pinot Grigio turn cloudy or copper-colored in some versions?

Pinot Grigio is a grey-skinned grape — the skins have natural pigment ranging from grey-pink to copper. Standard Pinot Grigio production uses minimal or no skin contact, producing a pale yellow wine. Ramato — a traditional Friulian style that predates modern winemaking — ferments the wine with the skins for days or weeks, extracting the copper-pink pigment and additional tannin and phenolic compounds. The result is an orange-style wine with more texture, tannin, and oxidative character than standard Pinot Grigio. Some natural wine producers have revived Ramato as a deliberate style choice. If a Pinot Grigio bottle appears copper or salmon-colored, extended skin contact is the reason — not a flaw.