WINE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: PINOT GRIGIO DELLE VENEZIE
Are you a fan of Pinot Grigio? If so, you absolutely need to know about Pinot Grigio delle Venezie!
A Brief Introduction to Pinot Grigio
Who knows, maybe you’ve been living under a rock for the past few decades and don’t know what Pinot Grigio is. Unlikely….but it could happen.
Pinot Grigio is undoubtedly one of the most popular and widely drunk white wines in the world. It is fashionable, it is fun, it is perfect for a sunny, summer day and it is generally very affordable.
Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris: What is the Difference?
Made from the Pinot Gris grape variety, Pinot Grigio is the Italian iteration of this grape that is one of the most well known and successful mutations of Pinot Noir.
Closely related to the Pinot Gris variety (another mutation of Pinot Noir), Pinot Gris is famed and prized for its ability to produce delicate, highly perfumed wines that display rich colour and noteworthy gravitas.
Though it is thought to have originated in the vineyards of Burgundy, where it grew amongst the endless vines of Pinot Noir plantings and was (and still is) mixed in to add finesse to the region’s Pinot Noir, it is more broadly grown in Alsace and to some degree, the Loire Valley.
However, there is no denying that Pinot Gris has found a true home and unique expression in Italy, as Pinot Grigio. Specifically in north eastern Italy, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio has become the white wine of the land, the wine of the people, a wine that is widely and easily consumed by many. This is not to say that there are not other noteworthy white wines being produced in north eastern Italy - because there surely are - but there is no denying Pinot Grigio’s importance to this part of the world.
The demand and commercial success of Pinot Grigio has been so remarkable in the past century that most consumers and producers use this name whenever they are producing Pinot Gris based wines and plantings of this varietal have grown exponentially, especially in Italy.
Understanding Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
As we’ve discussed, Pinot Grigio is a uniquely Italian expression of the Pinot Gris grape. It is a certain way of vinification and a certain style that embodies north east Italian culture.
While Pinot Gris grapes are grown as far north in Italy as Alto Adige and as far south as Emilia-Romagna, the true dedication to the Pinot Grigio style is in north eastern Italy, specifically in the regions of the Veneto, Fruili Venezia Giulia and Trentino. Here there are many expressions of Pinot Grigio, including dry and still, ramato and sparkling, and there are many denominations of origin (DOCs) dedicated to producing quality wines in this style.
So what is Pinot Grigio delle Venezie then?
Delle Venezie is a broad region covering the three smaller regions of Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino. This region, which as of 2021 has been officially elevated to DOC status by the Italian Department of Agriculture, provides a home for Pinot Grigio that is not able to qualify for some of the smaller DOCs (23 to be exact) that are nested within this broad region.
To make use of an analogy - think of a room full of elite athletes, some of which are rowers, others swimmers and others who just excel at sports generally. For those who do not identify as rowers or swimmers, they can still be part of the broader group of athletes. A clumsy analogy? Perhaps! But you get the point. The delle Venezie DOC provides a home for all Pinot Grigio from the region that does not identify with a smaller, more specific geography :)
So Why Should You Care?
Well, if you are a fan of Pinot Grigio, the delle Venezie DOC is an important source of the juice that you love! In fact, approximately 85% of the :Pinot Grigio produced in Italy comes from the delle Venezie region.
Interestingly however, it hasn’t always had the best reputation.
Since it was so widely produced and in such high demand, many criticisms have been leveled in recent years regarding Pinot Grigio from the region being too watered down and uninteresting….with some wine snobs going so far as to call it “simple”.
However, since the elevation of the delle Venezie region to DOC status (officially as of 2021, proposed in 2017), there has been considerable focus placed by the region’s consortium to unify those involved in the production of the DOC wines, elevate the requirements of the DOC and enhance the image of these wines in the marketplace. You can read more about this here.
The outcome is favourable for the consumer, we believe. Though only time will tell what will ultimately happen with these wines, there is no question that they are here to stay and only improving and will continue to offer intrepid wine lovers the world over much joy for many years to come!
Closing Thoughts
If you are a fan of Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, consider adding wines from the delle Venezie to your repetoire! They are affordable, fruity and delicious, go well with food and bring a little bit of north-eastern Italy to your day!
Cheers!
And If You’re Still Interested In Learning More……….
We’ve got you covered! Tune into Episode 23 of The Wineitupanotch Podcast to listen to our discussion with the Director of the delle Venezie Consortium, Mr. Flavio Innocenzi. This is a fascinating discussion about the DOC, its history, what the true spirit of Pinot Grigio delle Venezie is and so much more! Happy listening!
