Pinot Noir vs Pinot Grigio: Two Of The Best From The Pinot Family Of Wines

With all the Pinot wines that exist nowadays, I must admit that I was just as confused as everyone else about what makes each of them extraordinary.

Learning more about wines can get frustrating.

Sometimes when even the most vital information can turn out to be very complicated. We might probably think that having basic knowledge such as wine coming from grapes and containing alcohol would be enough.

Do you also have questions like, which is better between Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Noir, what do they look or taste like, or what food perfectly matches them? These are questions that would mostly have more than just one answer, and that’s the part where learning about these wines can be challenging.

If these are your questions too and probably more, then keep reading, and together let’s find out all about Pinot Noir vs Pinot Grigio.

Main Differences Between Pinot Noir And Pinot Grigio

So here, the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir:

• Pinot Noir has red cherry and wild strawberry flavors, whereas Pinot Grigio has notes of apple and pear with a delicately bitter finish.
• Pinot Noir is a red wine made from dark-skinned grapes, whereas Pinot Grigio is a white wine made from a lighter-skinned mutation of Pinot Noir.
• Both are usually dry. Pinot Noir has bright acidity and soft tannins, whereas Pinot Grigio is light and crisp in the Italian style and rounder in the Alsace style.

What You Need To Know About Pinot Noir (PEE-no nwahr)

The Origin

Most Pinot Noir is bottled as a single-variety wine, and red Burgundy is made from Pinot Noir alone.

Pinot Noir has a naturally pale color, and some inexpensive bottles add a small share of darker grapes for color or to cut costs.

This grape variety can be challenging to grow since it is sensitive to heat and requires high maintenance. It explains the substantial price tag that often comes with Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir grape grows optimally only in specific vineyards, and it has the least chances of thriving in areas with warmer climates.

Characteristics

Pinot Noir is famous for its fruity aroma and flavor. Compared with other reds like Cabernet, it contains a low amount of tannin, which contributes to its smooth texture and fruity taste.

The taste profile is climate-dependent, so the Pinot Noir grapes coming from a warm climate have a richer expression reminiscent of red berries, blackberries, and cherries. The grapes that came from colder climates, on the other hand, tend to have more prominent earthy aromas and flavors.

Grapes And Wine Regions

Burgundy in Eastern France is home to Pinot Noir. But it is also an essential red wine grape variety in New Zealand, Alsace, Oregon, Champagne, and Germany.

Today, its global production even widely extends to the coolest parts of Australia, Chile, and California. It also had started to make significant progress in South Africa and Canada. Pinot Noir grapes need near-ideal conditions, a cool climate, and delicate handling to produce exceptional wines.

Perfect Food Matches

Fret not if you feel like, still have a long way to thoroughly learn the basics of how to best pair wine with food. It sometimes takes years of wine tasting before you can start doing it like a pro.

It is vital to know more about a wine’s weight to pair it with a dish effectively. A wine’s body usually refers to its alcohol level, sweetness, and tannin.

Pinot Noir is a light- to medium-bodied wine that suits medium-weight dishes. Its tannins are soft, smooth, and not obtrusive. Here are some foods that make a perfect pair to this wine:

• Beef stew
• Roast beef
• Salmon
• Roast turkey
• Dark-meat poultry such as duck or quail
• Mushroom risotto
• Egg dishes such as frittata, omelet, and quiche

Wines Similar To Pinot Noir

If you love Pinot Noir and would like to try exploring something new, here are some other wine alternatives for you:

• Beaujolais
• Chinon
• Grenache
• Pinotage
• Red Burgundy
• Rioja
• Sangiovese
• Tempranillo
• Dolcetto
• Lambrusco

How To Serve

Remember that you should serve wine with a lighter color and style when it's cold so you can retain its freshness. The best way to enjoy a glass of Pinot Noir is to serve it at 14 ° C. It helps in releasing all of the wine’s flavor to give your palates a unique experience. Unlike other wines, there’s no need for you to decant it; you may serve it straight from the bottle.

Nutritional Facts

A Pinot Noir's alcohol content and even its flavor are dependent on the area it was grown. Those from colder regions contain 12–13.5% alcohol, while those from warmer areas have 13.5–15% alcohol content.

While a Pinot Noir is considered a dry wine, that does not mean that it doesn't come with calories. A 5-ounce glass, which NIAAA counts as one standard drink of wine at about 12% alcohol, has only a few grams of carbs, and most of its calories come from the alcohol.

All That You Need To Know About Pinot Grigio

The Origin

Pinot Grigio is a famous Italian wine style that is fresh and zesty white. Unlike most white grapes, it has grayish-pink to purple skin, which explains the name (grigio and gris both mean gray). Its roots trace to Burgundy and southwest Germany, and it later spread to northern Italy.

Characteristics

Pinot Gris berries are much darker than most white grapes, reaching pink and purple hues. It comes as a dry white wine with either a light or medium body most of the time. The best of its kind is crisp and fresh with the right amount of acid and complex fruitiness ranging from melon to green apple flavors. Some also have a delicate tropical or citrus fruit flavor.

Grapes And Wine Regions

Where you grow the wine, what season you harvest, and what production methods you use can significantly determine its characteristics. Its French style is known as the Pinot Gris, famous for being a fragrant alternative to Chardonnay. On the other hand, the Italian style is dry with minimal fruit and plenty of mineral flavors.

German versions, called Grauburgunder, are often dry and fuller-bodied, while California Pinot Grigios tend to taste riper than the Italian versions, less crisp, and fruitier in flavor. Some wines have subtle accents of honey and ginger.

Perfect Food Matches

The key to finding a wine’s perfect pair is to ensure that it matches the food and wine’s flavor and matches the dish’s weight with the wine. The more substantial the food, the fuller-bodied, and the more significant the wine should be.

Pinot Grigio generally complements lighter dishes and pairs exceptionally well with the following:

• Shellfish
• Sushi
• Mussels and oysters
• Ceviche
• Flaky white fish like tilapia, sea bass, and sole
• Light pasta dishes and cheeses
• Fresh salads like a wheat berry salad with pears
• A crunchy, creamy salad like fennel-avocado salad
• Smoked meats, particularly salmon
• Grilled chicken
• Grilled kabobs, meat or vegetarian

The pairing would sometimes involve trial and error because every dish is different in its ingredients and preparation. But for Pinot Grigio, it is best to avoid matching it with anything citrusy or tomato-based dishes.

Wines Similar To Pinot Grigio

If you love Pinot Grigio, you might as well know about its alternative like:

• Soave
• Fiano
• Pecorino
• Muscadet

How To Serve Pinot Grigio

Serve red wines cool and white wines colder but not very cold. The Pinot Grigio is best to drink when it's young, which means about two years within its vintage. All Pinot Grigio types have 48 degrees Fahrenheit as the ideal temperature.

To chill it to this temperature, place it in the refrigerator for about two to three hours before serving. Remove the wine from the fridge at least 30 to 60 minutes before serving, or chill it over ice. You may take advantage of a wine temperature thermometer to ensure more precise measurement, and so you'll enjoy all the flavors in your Pinot Grigio.

Nutritional Facts

Alcohol is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think about pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Wine still has calories, mostly from the alcohol.

A 5-ounce glass of dry Pinot Grigio has a few grams of carbs and roughly the same calories as a glass of Pinot Noir. But keep in mind that moderation is still the key if you’re trying to stay trim and healthy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Differences Between Pinot Grigio And Pinot Noir

Is Pinot Grigio Sweeter Than Pinot Noir?

Not really. Both are usually dry wines. Pinot Grigio’s citrus and pear notes can taste fresher, but most bottles of either wine have little residual sugar.

Which Is Better -- Pinot Noir Or Grigio?

Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are both fine wines but if your main dish for that dinner you're hosting is a seafood platter, it is best to go for Pinot Grigio. Pinot Noir also works well with seafood, but it is more spectacular when you pair it with light meat dishes.

Are Pinot Noir And Pinot Grigio The Same Grape?

Not exactly. Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) is a color mutation of Pinot Noir, so the two are genetically very close, but its gray-pink grapes are made into white wine.

Key Takeaways

We all are pretty spoiled, considering the number of red wine selections worldwide. When choosing the most suitable wine for you, there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all.

As previously mentioned, both of these are fine wines, and neither is superior to the other. Understanding their interesting differences will provide you with the convenience of knowing which one to choose when it's time to do some wine shopping.

It could also mean that there's room for one more at your table.;)

Sources

• Know Your Grapes: Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Wine Spectator
• What Is a Standard Drink?, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism