CLEVELAND, Ohio – This month’s wine review is a guide to Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris. We offer facts and other info about the varietal, followed by brief flavor profiles of some in the market.

It makes perfect sense that pinot gris has exploded in popularity in the Pacific Northwest in the past decade.

Pinot Gris is named for its grayish hue. "Gris" is French for "gray." The grapes are now grown around the world in most major wine regions. The resulting wine comes in a multitude of styles.

One of those degenerate mutations is pinot gris (pinot grigio in Italian), a grape that is fast becoming one of the most popular whites in California and has already surpassed chardonnay in Oregon.

Pinot gris grapes are white grapes with a grayish-pink skin, hence “gris,” French for “gray.” Pinot gris and relative pinot blanc are behind some of Alsace’s most distinct wines.

Northwest pinot gris is more substantial than Italian pinot grigio, with riper fruit, but it delivers the same lip-smacking acidity, which really sets off food flavors.

Pinot Gris (or Grigio, if Italian) is grown around the world these days, but the most significant sources are northern Italy, France’s Alsace region, and Oregon. Much of it, especially in Italy ...

An old axiom about food pairings with pinot gris goes like this: “Pinot gris and things from the sea.” And that’s why the crisp, refreshing flavors of Northwest pinot gris pair perfectly ...

Trader Joe’s Willamette Pinot Gris is made in Willamette Valley, Oregon, and the sommelier emphasizes that “Oregon white wines are such gems!” She also notes, “To be honest, I like Pinot Gris way more ...