The wonderful Pinot Family of grapes hails Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris/ Grigio* and Pinot Blanc. While Pinot Blanc might not be high on your radar, Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio are amongst the most popular wine choices on any shelf or menu.
*For the purposes of brevity, I will use Pinot Grigio as the general term

Pinot Blanc and Pinot Grigio are both color mutations from Pinot Noir. As we all know, just because they are part of the same family line, doesn't mean they taste similar. The Pinot varieties are very much influenced by many different factors including: climate, soil and vinification techniques.

To start with, Pinot Grigio (the Italian name for the grape) and Pinot Gris (The French name) are the same grape. However, due to the different places they are grown and how they are made are two distinct different styles.

Pinot Grigio is a grey hued grape variety, thus the Gris & Grigio (grey). This style of wine is typically grown in Northern Italy in the mountainous regions in the east, near the Slovakian and Austrian border. This style is light, fresh and zippy expression that has found favor with the American market. Mostly made in steel tanks, Pinot Grigio can be barrel aged to provide more complexity, but those versions fetch a premium price tag and are less available. Typically the flavor markers of Pinot Grigio are citrus, peaches and white flowers and is an amazing aperitif!

The other side of the Pinot Pinot Gris can be found in France, New Zealand, Australia and California. Usually, the naming convention acts as a style marker. Pinot Gris labelled wines tend to be dryer with notes of apricot and peaches leaning troward to a richer style of wine with less acidity. This is similar to the other version of Pinot: Pinot Blanc. These make for wonderful Thanksgiving wines, but more to come on that in November.

On to sultry Pinot Noir, oh the darling and bane of the wine world. How do we love thee!

Pinot Noir's motherland is in Burgundy, France. It is grown in many of the world's growing region with more or less success, depending on the style you prefer. Typically Pinot Noir is a light hued wine with notes of cherries, raspberries, strawberries with secondary flavors of forest floor, cola and pepper, depepnding on it's growing region. Pinot Noir is one of the most expressive grapes when it comes to terroir. Top areas for cultivating Piont Noir are Burgundy, Oregon, California, New Zealand and Chile. Best cared for in cooler climates, the lure and seduction of Pinot Noir can win and break you heart. So I recommend you try them all!! Better to have love and lost...than never loved at all.

Because of these fun facts about the Pinot family, The Pinot Project was created! Michael and Harmon Skurnik, renown importers of fine wines from around the world, reached out to their friends in California's coastal regions to help them craft a sustainable, affordable, well- balanced Pinot Noir. With the success of The Pinot Project Pinot Noir, they added a Pinot Grigio. Using their contacts in northeastern Italy, they have sourced a fine lot of fruit to make top-notch Pinot Grigio to enhance The Pinot Project!

Since it's launch in 2009, The Pinot Project wines have been recognized as one of the best wine values in the world. Named 'Hot Prospect' by Shanken's Impact and consistently scored over 90 points by major wine publications, these wines are truly great ambassadors for their varietals and for good wine sipping.