2019 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Gris

2019 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Gris

Vintage: 2019

Region: Oregon, USA
Winery: A to Z Wineworks

Varieties: Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio)

Price: $9.99

Expert Rating: 90 Points

My Rating: 88 Points

The Review: Today we answer the age-old question- are Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio the same thing? The simple answer is yes! Both Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the exact same grape, but Pinot Gris is from France, and Pinot Grigio is from Italy (Gris and Grigio being French and Italian respectively for "grey"). However, like most things in wine, there's a more complicated answer as well. While the wines are the same grape, winemakers have started to use the different names to refer to the style that the wine is made in. The Italian style, which most people are quite familiar with from every wedding ever, is light, fruity, and pretty straightforward (what wine people politely call "neutral"). To be a little frank, Pinot Grigio is made to get crushed with a light dish on a summer night. That's not to say that Pinot Grigio isn't good! It just typically isn't offering the complexity that critics are after when they're tasting classic wines. Pinot Gris on the other hand is thought to offer a bit more depth. Because of winemaking techniques and usually a slightly warmer climate, these wines are a little more full, complex, and can even see some residual sugar left in to add even more body. In other parts of the world, winemakers have started to use Gris/Grigio to refer to the style of wine that they're aiming for. If they want the wine to be thought of as light and fun, they'll label it Pinot Grigio, whereas, if they want it to be interpreted as a little fuller and in the French style, they'll label the wine Pinot Gris.

Now that we got that out of the way, it's time to talk about the 2019 A to Z Pinot Gris. So, right out of the gates, we know this wine will probably be a little bit fuller than something closer to its Italian twin. And just as we expect, we can tell this has a medium-weight body as soon as it's poured. It's got very fresh and vibrant aromas of Meyer lemon, pear, apple, melon, and a touch of yellow peach. There's a little bit of a saline zip and a honeysuckle aroma that adds a subtle hint of sweetness. At this point, I was anticipating an off-dry wine (slightly sweet). And as it turns out, I was correct! The acid in this wine was pretty high, but it was certainly balanced out a bit by some residual sugar (RS). I would actually argue that they were a little heavy-handed with the RS and that it flattened things a bit too much. Making an off-dry wine is all about finding a balance between the acidity and the sugar. Anyways, that's beside the point. The taste presented lots of pear, Honeycrisp apple, and yellow peach (think ripe!). There were some interesting bright notes of lemon and a subtle spice, which were rounded out by a hint of honeysuckle. The finish of this wine honestly added a lot for me- it's super fresh and long.

As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I'm a big fan of A to Z. They make really solid wines for a fair price, and this is no exception. They represent Oregon winemaking very well I think. I would totally recommend this for a weeknight meal of something a little spicy or just a typical chicken dish. Nothing too crazy, just play around with it a bit! Enjoy your weeks and happy belated Father's day.

drink what you like,

db