Pinot Gris - wine grape variety

Like Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris is grown in many countries. There are about 900 ha in France, mostly in Alsace, 2500 ha in Germany where it is known as Rulander, and probably something of the order of 2200 ha in northern Italy. It is also grown throughout central and south eastern Europe, one of its more interesting names being Szurke-barat (Grey Friar) in Hungary. It has not attracted much interest in California or Australia.

Pinot Gris differs from Pinot Noir only in having much less pigment in the skin of the berries. It is used to make a deep golden wine which may at first sight suggest an oxidised white wine. However, in the form of such wines as the Tokay of Alsace, it is highly regarded in Europe.

Pinot Blanc differs from Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris only in having no pigment in the skin of the berries. It makes a distinctive wine but with less vari-etal character than Riesling or Chardonnay.

Pinot Blanc is probably the least grown of any of the Pinot family. The situation has been confused because Chardonnay has often been called Pinot Chardonnay or even Pinot Blanc Chardonnay and so has come to be called Pinot Blanc in some areas. In South America Chenin Blanc has been wrongly

identified as Pinot Blanc, while in California the variety Melon has been wrongly called Pinot Blanc. The true Pinot Blanc has only recently been imported into Australia and earlier plant-ings so called would be either Chardonnay or derived from the Californian Melon. There are about 1500 ha of true Pinot Blanc in France, mainly in Alsace, possibly about the same in northern Italy and a little in Germany and central Europe.