Pinot Gris by any other name is... well, a lot of things. In Italy it is Pinto Grigio, Rulander in Austria and Germany, Malovoisie in the Loire Valley and Switzerland, and Sivi Pinot in Croatia and Slovenia. In the good old US of A, Pinot Gris (PEE-no GREE) from California and Oregon has replaced Sauvignon Blanc as “the other white wine” next to Chardonnay.

Pinot Gris is the best-known white variant or clone of Pinot Noir. The grape dates to at least the Middle Ages in the Burgundy region of France and had spread to Switzerland and Hungary by 1300. It reached Germany by end of the 16th century and continued to spread to most European counties, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the U.S.

Pinot Gris tends to favor cooler or marginal climates with long, temperate days and cool nights during the growing season. A relative heat-sensitive variety, Pinot Gris doesn’t do well in hot climates since the grapes need colder temperatures to fully ripen and produce distinct flavors.

Grapes grow in small, pinecone shaped clusters (“Pinot” means “pinecone” in French) with colors varying from bluish gray (“Gris” means “gray”) to light pinkish brown. The vines like a southeast or southwest-facing slope because of the extra hours of sunlight they get while avoiding late spring frosts.

Pinot Gris wine styles vary by location. In the Alsace region of France, Pinot Gris is medium to full-bodied with rich, floral flavors and a viscous, almost oily texture. In Germany, wines are medium to full bodied with good acidity and are fairly sweet. The Pinot Grigio of Italy is often lighter in body with lean, neutral, almost spritzy flavors and clean, crisp acidity.

American Pinot Gris, primarily from Oregon and the central coast of California are medium-bodied wines with colors ranging from light yellow to copper-pink. These wines burst with flavors and aromas of honey, apple, pear, melon, and light lemon-citrus. Most Pinot Gris will exhibit a floral element while displaying lively acidity and a touch of sweetness. Generally, grapes picked early will produce lighter, fruity wines while grapes picked a little later will result in richer, sweeter wines.

While Pinot Gris can retain flavor and acidity for upto six years, it is primarily a wine to be enjoyed young. For that reason and the fact that the wine has a pleasant delicate floral character, few American Pinot Gris see any oak. Most California Pinot Gris is made from grapes harvested in the morning coolness and pressed as soon as they reach the winery. The juice is usually fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for seven to ten days then held for up to six months before bottling.

The rapid rise in the popularity “the other white wine” is confirmed by the increase in California Pinot Gris acreage. Well over 7,000 acres of Pinot Gris are planted in the state including 2,551 acres in the Sierra Foothills, Lodi, and Livermore regions.

By any other name, Pinot Gris is versatile wine that pairs nicely with traditional white wine foods including fish, seafood, and chicken. In addition, Pinot Gris may well be the answer to that age-old dilemma of what goes good with Chinese.