Is Pinot Grigio A Summer Drink?

White, rosé and sparkling wines are popular during the summertime. Served chilled, ice-cold wine makes the perfect alcoholic drink for warmer months.

Pinot Grigio is a white wine made from the Pinot grape family, which is thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir variety.

Crisp, white wine makes the ultimate summer drink and is usually served chilled with ice - perfect for hot days when you're in need of something refreshing.

What Does Pinot Grigio Taste Like?

Pinot Grigio tends to exhibit peach notes and citrus, but can occasionally have hints of apple or pear. With additional aromas of honey and grapefruit, Pinot Grigio is an easy-sipping wine and exhibits plenty of fruity flavours.

The primary flavours in Pinot Grigio are lemon, lime and pear. Depending on where the grapes are grown, they can also adopt strong floral notes which can be tasted through the wine.

Is Pinot Grigio Dry or Sweet?

So, is Pinot Grigio dry or sweet? Many people believe that all white wine is dry, but this isn’t the case. Pinot Grigio has three main palates - dry and minerally, dry and fruity and sweet.

Although sweet Pinot Grigio does exist, don't expect it to be anywhere near as sweet as rosé. White wine has a higher acidity, which means it’ll naturally be on the more savoury side regardless of how much residual sugar there is.

A typical Pinot Grigio is medium-dry, however, it all comes down to where it was harvested and the vintner's process.

What Food Goes Well with Pinot Grigio?

Its common knowledge that Pinot Grigio pairs well with seafood dishes impeccably. The fruity aromas found in most white wines match perfectly with the flavour of fish. Shellfish dishes that include clams, mussels and shrimp also tend to pair well with white wine. Pinot Grigio goes especially well as it’s famous in northeast Italy, where seafood reigns supreme.

Seafood risotto and Pinot Grigio go hand in hand compared to other various wines due to their bitter taste and light density. A classic risotto is usually made with clams, prawns, chunky flakes of white fish and mushrooms.

Because of its clean, crisp taste and medium structure, we recommend pairing Pinot Grigio and prosecco with most fish-based dishes, as well as pasta and rice.

If you’re not a big seafood lover, don’t worry - white wine goes well with chicken too. The general rule is that white meat should be eaten with white wines.

What Food to Avoid with Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is the perfect drink to pair with light foods such as chicken, fish and fresh salad. Pairing Pinot Grigio with heavy meat and cheese could ruin the experience of enjoying the fresh taste of white wine.

The qualities of Pinot Grigio make it the perfect accompaniment for meat that needs flavour added to it - this is why white wine should never be paired with red meat, as it already has so much flavour on its own.

An acidic wine will taste flabby and unstructured alongside creamy food, and therefore should never be paired with Pinot Grigio or any type of white wine for that matter.

This is to do with the cheeses that are used to make most cream-based dishes, like macaroni, meat with cream sauce or meals that requires pungent cheeses as the main ingredient.

If you enjoy sharing a cheeseboard with friends, but find red wine a little too heavy, then you'll be glad to know that you can still pair some cheeses with white wine.

As we’ve suggested, try to avoid pungent cheeses - cheddar and stilton being two examples. This is due to their strong taste which will eventually overpower the flavour of the wine.

We suggest trying soft, milder cheeses like brie or mozzarella. Because of their underwhelming flavour, milder cheeses help bring out the sweeter, more mellow notes that are found in Pinot Grigio.

Mixers That Pair Well with Pinot Grigio

If you can’t seem to stomach wine without a mixer - we have some great recommendations on what pairs best with Pinot Grigio.

Although Pinot Grigio has a slight fizz already, adding mixers such as lemonade, soda or tonic helps decrease the strong flavour.

Adding a mixer should never drastically change the flavour of your wine. Using a moderate amount to help dilute the taste slightly is all that's needed. Mixers should never be used to outdo the wine completely.

Some wine connoisseurs are opposed to adding mixers to their drink and believe that the raw flavours of wine should be enjoyed alone, but adding an extra bit of fizz to your drink is your choice.

Is Pinot Grigio Expensive to Buy?

Pinot Grigio is a relatively cheap wine - in the 90s it was known as the most in-expensive white wine, making it popular amongst many.

Cold fermentation is the process Pinot Grigio goes through, which ultimately means that it has more flavour than most other white wines.

Due to its crisp, flavoursome taste, Pinot Grigio is still known to be one of the most popular alcoholic drinks of choice.

No matter which restaurant or bar you go to, Pinot Grigio will always be on the menu. People love it for its simple, yet strong flavour.

The price of Pinot Grigio can range, but buying a bottle proves to be pretty inexpensive compared to most others.

Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay: What's the Difference?

Although Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay share similarities, they’re two completely different types of white wine - both have distinct tastes and are made from different grapes.

Chardonnay is full-bodied and made from green grapes that originated from the Burgandy wine region of eastern France. Being a more complex wine, chardonnay is usually drier, lacks sweetness and is considered a creamy wine because of its richer ingredients.

Pinot Grigio is made with blue-grey grapes, producing a sour taste due to its higher acidic levels. With a stronger floral aroma compared to chardonnay's fruitiness, Pinot Grigio is lighter and fresher to drink.

Colour Difference

White wine commonly has a yellow tone to its appearance, but how can you spot the difference between Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio?

Chardonnay ranges from a very pale yellow to a darker shade of saturated golden straw. If you come across a bottle of Chardonnay lacking colour with a paler appearance, it usually means it’s unoaked and will have a zestier taste to it.

From observation, Pinot Grigio is usually borderline clear but can range to a light shade of yellow. Occasionally, Pinot Grigio has a green hue to it, thanks to a mutation of its parent - the dark pinot noir varietal.

A strong green hue in a bottle of Pinot Grigio means the taste of the wine will be savoury and have little to no sweetness at all.

ThinK Wine

If you’re a fan of Pinot Grigio, then you need to try our ThinK Pink Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rosé - it’s fresh and flavoursome, making it the perfect alcoholic drink to enjoy on a summers day.

Both vegan and organic, our Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rosé also has reduced sugar and calories, making it ideal for those who are on a diet or want to make a healthier choice when it comes to enjoying a drink.

Our products are luxurious, and our customers seem to agree. Our reviews prove that low-calorie, vegan wine has just as much flavour as usual.

ThinK is also a proud winner of the world-renowned Glass of Bubbly Awards.