Pinot Gris - Eden Rift Vineyards

Pinot Gris is unusual in that it is pigmented grape variety which is almost always made into white wine. This unique greyish-pink colored grape is also commonly known as Pinot Grigio and can by shaped into a wide range of wine styles depending on the influence of region and producer. In the French region of Alsace it is often made into full bodied wine with a distinctly spiced character, while in Northeastern Italy it is usually crafted into lighter more mineral wine with high acidity. Because of its relatively dark skin color compared to other white grapes Pinot Gris based wines can sometimes show pink or copper hues in the glass - even if skin contact is minimized during processing.

Pictured here are Pinot Gris clusters we observed on a recent visit to Eden Rift Vineyards in San Benito County California. These clusters are small and cone shaped just like those of their close relative Pinot Noir, but due to genetic mutations are noticeably lighter in color. Eden Rift shapes these grapes into an extremely complex and nuanced style of Pinot Gris that we believe is one of the best varietal examples produced in all of California. Although it is sometimes thought of as a simple or neutral variety, Pinot Gris has the potential to make wine of exceptional character and quality and we applaud Eden Rift for their serious treatment of this special grape.