Welcome to The SheWolfPack Wine series, where you get to learn about different wines! So far, we have some in the Ministick area, and since we were down here, doing a maintenance run, we discovered that there really is large open game board out here lol......so here's some wine caches for you and you and you and you!
Ah Pinot Grigio, a zesty white wine that is as refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day. The second most popular white wine in America, Pinot Grigio (aka Pinot Gris) is a dry white wine that has a punchy acidity with flavoursof lemons, limes, green apples and honeysuckle.
At its most basic, Pinot Gris/Grigio is a refreshing white wine that, when served cold, is the perfect respite from a hot summer’s day. So drink up and pay no mind to the haters.
While most believe Pinot Grigio originated in Italy, it was actually born, like many of the most popular grapes of the world, in France, where it is known as Pinot Gris. Thought to be a mutation of the red grape Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris’ skins are not green like other white grapes, but instead have a greyish blue hue, which is what gives them their name.
The wine was born in Burgundy, but found its way to Switzerland in the 1300s, where it was considered a favorite of the Emperor. From here the grape made its way to northern Italy, and the real story of Pinot Grigio was born.
In Italy, Pinot Gris became Pinot Grigio and the wine found wide success in the regions of Northeastern Italy: Lombardy, the Veneto, Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige. From its footing in northern Italy, the wine grew to become the most popular white wine in all of Italy, and then the most popular imported white wine in the U.S.
Pinot Grigio has its haters among wine snobs, who claim the wine is too “simple” and “uninteresting,” but this mostly stems from the fact that because Pinot Grigio is so popular, its popularity has resulted in some very bad mass produced bottles which have given the wine a bad name. One of the best ways to ensure you drink delicious and interesting Pinot Grigio is to simply avoid the budget bottles and the wines being sold under huge mass marketing campaigns.
So What’s The Difference Between Pinot Grigio, Gris, And Blanc?
words: Emily Bell
White wine is white wine, right? Maybe to “Cab-4-Life” haters. But as anyone who actually drinks a variety of white wines knows,there's a literal globe of expressions out there
In fact, it would be a lot easier to catalogue our experiences (and have some verbal ammo for the white wine haters) if only the names of at least three fairly prominent whites weren’t super similar. We’re talking Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc.
Chances are, you’re more thoroughly acquainted with the first, though chances are, like most of us, you also know it in its more two-dimensional, citrusy-pop expression. Good for passing a summer day, but not nearly the end of the Grigio story. Pinot Gris is not as commonly known, likely due to slightly higher pricing (we’ll explain below), and Pinot Blanc is probably the least known of all. But there are actually some serious, as in genetic, bonds between all three grapes. And also some pretty interesting differences which, once understood, will make you wiser about all things wine. And a lot better at buying it, which is pretty much the goal, right?
On to the breakdown:
THEY’RE ALL RELATED.
They may pour out of the bottle differently, but Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc are all from the same family. The “Pinot” family, no surprise, which puts them in close relation to Pinot Noir. Meaning you drink Pinot, you fancy.
THEY’RE ALL MUTANTS.
We have genetic mutation to thank for the variety within the animal and plant kingdoms, and the abundance of delicious wine in the world. Pinots Blanc, Gris, and Grigio are all colour mutations from Pinot Noir.
PINOT GRIGIO/GRIS ARE THE MIDDLE MUTATIONS.
Pinot Noir contains the largest amount of active anthocyanins (one component that contributes to the color of a grape). Pinot Blanc is a mutation of Pinot Noir with the least amount of anthocyanin (it’s inactive). Pinot Grigio/Gris are the middle mutations, kind of half way between Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.
SPEAKING OF, PINOT GRIGIO AND PINOT GRIS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT.
Pinot Gris/Grigio is the name of a grayish/purple-hued grape that originated in the Alsace region of France (see above). “Grigio” is simply the Italian translation of “gris.” But that doesn’t mean a bottle of either will taste the same. While the grapes are genetically identical, the winemaking—thus the wines—can differ.
THUS, PINOT GRIGIO VS. GRIS CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT WINEMAKING.
If you consider how vastly different in expression and cost bottles of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris can be (not to mention different bottles of Pinot Grigio), all from the same grape, you’ll see how important terroir and the role of the winemaker are in influencing a wine’s character. Ever knock back half a bottle of $10 spritzy, bright, lemony Pinot Gris on a hot summer day? Neither have we.
THAT SAID, PINOT GRIGIO IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.
Like your angry teen, Pinot Grigio is often ultra “fresh” and zippy, and that’s because one of the bigger differences between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris is production: Pinot Gris tends to be crafted toward a slightly rounder, barrel-aged, food-friendly flavor profile. Because of its early and immense popularity in the U.S., Pinot Grigio began to be more mass produced, with sometimes two-dimensional, albeit delicately fruity and zippy, white wines dominating the market. But that doesn’t mean complex, structured, even oak-aged Pinot Grigios aren’t produced. (‘Cause, well, the more wine the better.”)
WE ASSOCIATE PINOT GRIGIO WITH “ZIPPINESS,” BUT IT’S A LOW-ACID GRAPE.
A lot of the cheaper Pinot Grigio we all drink is mass-produced and/or steel-tank-aged, with the actually lower amount of natural acidity in the grape preserved as much as possible. This is where you get the sometimes uninteresting but ridiculously refreshing, zingy, citrusy, type of Pinot Grigio. Higher-end Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris tends to go through barrel aging, which mitigates the lemony zing and acidity, enriches fruit (even with a bit of wood spice) and gives it more structure generally. Which is why you pay more for these wines; if a wine requires aging, that adds to the cost.
PINOT GRIS IS A TRAVELING GRAPE.
Grape varieties can have specific regional birthplaces, but often they’ll find themselves on new terrain. This is how Pinot Gris became Pinot Grigio. It started in Burgundy, stopped for a while in 14th-century Switzerland to be the emperor’s favorite, and found its way to Italy, where the still- continuing legacy of Pinot Grigio was born. But Pinot Gris also found homes in Germany, Austria, South Africa, and Oregon. That’s a lot of airline miles.
PINOT GRIGIO/GRIS IS A SENSITIVE GRAPE.
We don’t mean it’ll start tearing up at “The Notebook.” But part of the reason you can get such variety out of Pinot Grigio/Gris is because it reacts to terroir sensitively; generally preferred are cool climates and hillsides, hence its happiness in both Alsace and northeastern Italy. Variations, whether in temperature or aging style, will impact the way the grape shows acidity, fruit character, and aromatics. In that sense it really is a winemaker’s grape.
PINOT BLANC HAS ITS OWN THING GOING ON.
However they’re aged, Pinot Gris/Grigio will tend to showcase a bit more acidity and structure than Pinot Blanc. Pinot Blanc has a rounder expression (when done well; done poorly, it’s a bit of a flabby anti-climax). It’s actually among the regular, daily whites consumed in Alsace. Unlike the often brighter fruit flavors you’ll find in (some) Pinot Grigios, Pinot Blanc can tend towards apple pit and even smoky flavors; it can also be oaked for a bit more richness.
PINOT BLANC ALSO HAS AN ITALIAN COUNTERPART.
No surprise here, it’s called Pinot Bianco and can actually be blended with Chardonnay, among other grapes, to pretty great effect. In fact, part of what makes Pinot Blanc important is its versatility: it’s used in still wines, sweet, and sparkling (including, though typically in smaller proportion, Champagne). In northwestern Italy, Pinot Bianco is also used in Franciacorta, which, unlike Prosecco, is an Italian sparkling made in the Methode Champenoise. It’s also a major component in Cremant d'Alsace. So Pinot Blanc may have less zip, but it’s got some game.
SPEAKING OF VERSATILITY, PINOT GRIS CAN BE DRUNK AS A DESSERT WINE.
Pinot Grigio is typically sucked back young and crispy, but Pinot Gris can actually be picked late-harvest and turned into a rich dessert wine.
Geocache Description:
A Wherigo Cache With a Twist
The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates, but you may begin your search from any point in the world!
The posted coordinates are meant to mask the final location and if you go there you will find nothing.
You can follow the instructions below to get you setup your device for wherigo's and test out reverse wherigo's on this cache. Good luck and have fun. This Wherigo converts your player into a virtual version of the "Reverse Cache Box" which tells you the distance to the cache, but not the bearing. You may begin your search from any spot in the world using your Smartphone or Wherigo compatible GPS to navigate to the cache.
The cartridge was created by Waldmeister and is available to download from the wherigo.com website.
-Waldmeister-'s "The first Reverse Cache [WIG]" is the original cache in this family.
Your task is to find the cache by periodically querying your Reverse Cache Box for the distance to the final location. Try to use your Reverse Cache Box as few times as possible. All instructions and necessary information needed to complete the cartridge is contained within it. The cartridge is multilingual. When entering the lanuage you can shorten it to 2 digits, example: English to EN.
To begin, you will have to type this code into your player:
320353
518313
212461
It is suggested that you take the code with you on your journey. It will be needed if it becomes necessary to restart your player for any reason.
Optional:
When you have reached the final, you will be given some statistics on your quest. If you wish, you may enter the details into your log, and also post the number of times you calculated the distance.
At the end of the game, you will be given a personal pass-code which you can enter into the cartridge if you select "create" rather than "play" when you start the cartridge. Save this code, and if you ever wish to create your own reverse cache, you can do so. -Waldmeister- would like you to inform him of your new edition of his handiwork. Please do not include hints in your log about where and how you found the cache or post photos that would give away the final location.
Any Spoilers in the logs and they will be deleted without contacting the log owner
Have Fun!