"Pinot Grigio" - wine symbolizing the summer noon

"Pinot Grigio" is a wine with an extremely complicated history. Its name was given to a variety of vines because of dense small bunches, similar to a pine cone. We have this grapes as a sort of Pinot Gris. This is translated literally as a "gray lump". But color is not the main distinguishing feature. For centuries, the ancient Pinot Noir variety (black) has repeatedly mutated, giving rise not only to the "gris", but also to the "blanc" (white). After examining the DNA of the vines, scientists came to the conclusion that grapes were known in the early Middle Ages in Burgundy and Champagne, where it was called "fromento".

Through the wide valleys of Switzerland cuttings came to Northern Italy, where they got their modern name - "pinot grigio". The wine from these bush-like gray-pink bunches, growing on the southern slopes of the Alps, is fresh, with a light aroma of peach. That's what you need in the hot summer afternoon. Italians use it so much - young (4-12 weeks after the end of fermentation). They keep it in steel cisterns, so that the drink remains refreshing and does not collect woody notes from the barrels.

Due to the popularity of the Pinot Grigio, the wine was also tried to produce south of Lombardy and the Veneto region - up to Sicily. But the cold-loving vine, though yielding generous yields, did not manifest itself that way. The wine turned out to be scanty, monotonous, inexpressive. It is used as a dining room (for cooking) or in a blend with other varieties to improve the color. Emperor Charles IV ordered the planting of the "Pinot Gris" in Hungary. There, the variety was called "Surkabarat" - a "gray monk". And already from Hungary the vine arrived in the vicinity of Strasbourg, where she was christened "Alsace tokam".

In 1711 in the German land of the Palatinate "Pinot gris" began to cultivate a certain Johann Seger Ruhland. In honor of him, a vine and wine were dubbed Ruländer. As you can see, "Pinot Grigio" is a wine that has many names. Thanks to its love of a cool climate, the vine grows well on a fairly wide territory. It is grown in Ukraine (Crimea, Odessa region), in Moldova, of course, in Hungary, and in the US states of Washington, Oregon, California. She returned to the vine and to her homeland, where she had already been forgotten, replaced by "dumpling" and "grenage". There she participates in the creation of famous champagne wines.

Technologically, the wine "Pinot Gris" is very flexible. In case of long fermentation, alcoholic wines can be obtained. If you harvest late, when the leaves on the vine have already turned yellow (Vandage Tardiv), the berries gain so much sweetness that you can make dessert and liqueur drinks. In Russia, the white dry "Pinot Grigio" wine is more popular. To buy a quality product, choose bottles originating from Lombard Oltrepo Pavese, from the region of Alto Adige or Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The difference in climate and soils, the time of harvesting, the technological process greatly affects the wine "Pinot Grigio". The price for the Italian product in Moscow starts from 600 rubles per bottle. Inside you will find a fine refreshing drink with a light floral aroma and notes of a ripe peach. If you buy a French product, you will get a bright, full-bodied, full-bodied wine, which is good for a snack of foie gras and other delicious snacks, as well as fish and cheeses. Crimean "Pinot Gris" is drunk for dessert along with fruits and chocolate. Alsatian "Tokai" is good for washing down fatty dishes.