Not your aunt Peggy’s pinot gris.

Way back in the land of 2012 - a simpler time - I was an intern under Luisa Ponzi. One day during harvest we had many tons of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir come in and it was difficult for my noob self to discern which was which. Some of The Gris was nearly as dark as the Pinot Noir. I asked Luisa why more wineries didn’t make a red wine out of it. Her answer was less than encouraging, however, I was curious. So in 2016 I made my first skin-contact Pinot Gris - in her winery.

The fruit comes from legendary Weber Vineyard in Dundee. When the grapes come in the door it is treated exactly like a red wine. Remember - all wine gets its color from the skins and the skins of Gris are rather pigmented. So it comes in, it’s sorted, allowed to ferment, and placed into barrels - just like red wine.

The resulting wine has a rosey pink hue with aromas of cranberry leather and baking spice. The palate shows flavors of cherry tarte, watermelon rind, and peanut candies (neat). The acids are mouth-watering and the tannins are light, but layered. This wine is extremely versatile and can be paired with many dishes, but what it makes me crave is a board of hard cheeses and spicy, cured meats.