Same variety, two different styles of wine. Within Europe Italian producers generally make the light, crisp wine from the grape and label it as Pinot Grigio. Producers in the Alsace region of France call it Pinot Gris and make a much richer, more developed style. Genetically identical to Pinot Noir, it is thought to have mutated in Burgundy with lighter skins to produce a slightly copper/grey colored fruit. In Germany it goes by a couple of synonyms, Rulander if vinified into a sweet wine and Grauer Burgunder (or Gray Burgundy) if dry. The grape has been exported across much of the New World with particular success in Oregon and New Zealand. Both regions take after the richer Alsation style.
California is one of the most diverse wine producing regions of the world. Although it has a history spanning over 200 years, it has experienced most of its growth in the last fifty years. The regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County have become as renowned as France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are by far the most popular fine wine varieties, producers in the Golden State have also experimented with an unparalleled array of diverse varieties, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo.
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White wine is a wine whose color can be pale-yellow, yellow-green, and yellow-gold colored. The wine is produced from a variety of grape varieties. The flavor and color comes from the juice of the grape and sometimes the skin of the grape as well. Interestingly, not all white wine comes from white grapes. Some select red grapes are used as in Champagne.
