I was on the floor helping the wait staff at Bin 26 Wine Bar recently when a patron asked for a glass of Pinot (pronounced Pee-noh). I hurriedly brought back a glass of Pinot Noir, only for the customer to say, “No, sir, the white Pinot, not the red one. I want a glass of Pinot Grigio.” Duh! Had I only taken notice, I would have realised that most of the ladies that evening were in fact drinking Pinot Grigio. That same week I made contact with a number of colleagues in the wine trade, only to find out that Pinot Grigio is currently one of the fastest-moving white wines in Jamaica.

Pinot Grigio (Pee-noh GREE-gee-oh) is one of the most popular white wines from Italy. It is the same grape grown in France and called Pinot Gris (Pee-noh GREE). It developed out of a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. Both names literally translate to “grey Pinot”, which describes the colour of the skins of the grape. While it is in fact the very same grape, they are used to make very different styles of wine; think Shiraz – Syrah, same grape but makes different styles of wine depending on the producer and region.

Styles

Pinot Gris – from Alsace, France and Oregon, USA – usually made in a medium-bodied, crispy clean style with some complex fruit on the nose and palate. Some persons might describe these wines as being sweeter, since some producers actually leave a bit of residual sugar in the juice.

Pinot Grigio – from north-eastern Italy and California, USA – light-bodied, refreshing wines will come from cooler climates like Italy, while the more fruit-forward styles will come from warmer climate growers in California.

Brands in Jamaica

On our shelves I have seen the following producers represented: Bolla, Bollini, Beringer, Campanile, Caposaldo, Castello di Gabbiano, Cavit, Delicato, Duck Pond Cellars, Folonari, King Estate, Ruffino, Santa Margherita, Sutter Home, Terre.

In recent times, wine consumers globally have been experimenting with Pinot Grigio/ Gris as a Chardonnay alternative. Pick up a bottle this week and let me have your feedback.

Christopher Reckord – Businessman, Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. Follow us on twitter: @DeVineWines @Reckord