Do you serve pinot Grigio chilled? This white wine varietal is a popular wine that can is a terrific sipper for the warmer weather of summer. Serving it at the proper temperature is essential to get the maximum enjoyment out of all of the flavors in the wine.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a white wine varietal that comes from the Pinot Grigio grape. Pinot Gris is also from the same grape and is essentially identical in style to Pinot Grigio. The wine and grape are typically known as Pinot Grigio in Italy and California, and as Pinot Gris in Oregon and France. These are the four main Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris growing regions, although many Australian winemakers are also beginning to make Pinot Grigio wines.
The Pinot Grigio grape itself is a white mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. While it is known either as Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris, it shouldn’t be confused with Pinot Blanc, which is an entirely different grape altogether. Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris are white wines with a mineral quality. Other flavors in the wine include floral notes, fruit and citrus. Pinot Grigio is also available as a frizzante wine, which is a lightly effervescent wine.
Why Wine Serving Temperature Is Important
Many people feel that serving temperature isn’t all that important for wines. The truth is that when wine is served at the improper temperature, many of the delicate flavors and aromas that make wines unique are lost. Serving wine at proper temperatures – usually slightly below room temperature for reds and chilled for whites – can truly enhance your wine drinking experience by allowing the full flavor and aroma profiles of the wine to come through.
Serving Pinot Grigio
While Pinot Grigio is a characteristically dry white wine, it holds up equally well to both heavier cream based dishes and spicy light dishes like summer barbecue. It also pairs well with light proteins like fish, seafood and poultry.
Do You Serve Pinot Grigio Chilled?
Every wine has an ideal serving temperature, and Pinot Grigio is no exception. Do you serve Pinot Grigio chilled? Pinot Grigio/Gris is definitely a wine whose flavors are enhanced when it is served chilled. The ideal temperature for all types of Pinot Grigio (including frizzante Pinot Grigio) is 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Serving the wine too cold or two warm will mask the flavors of the wine. To chill the wine to this temperature, place it in the refrigerator for about two to three hours before serving and then set it at room temperature for about 10 minutes prior to serving. You can also chill the bottle immediately prior to serving in a rapid wine chiller for ten minutes, or place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. If you’d like to be precise on serving temperature, there are a number of wine temperature thermometers that you can buy to measure the temperatures of your wines prior to serving them.
Serving the wine at 48 degrees will enhance the mineral, floral, fruit and citrus notes of the wine and enhance the wine’s light body. In order to maintain the wine’s temperature once the wine has been opened and poured, do the following:
Keep the bottle in an ice bucket or in the refrigerator between pouring’s.
Hold the wine glass by the stem rather than by the bowl. This will keep your hand from warming the wine to above the desirable temperature.
Storing Pinot Grigio
Serving temperature is only half of the equation. Because wines are delicate and can break down or go “bad” under improper storage conditions, how you store Pinot Grigio can also have an effect on the flavors and aromas of the wine. While light whites like Pinot Grigio aren’t meant to be stored for years like more structured reds, you can store Pinot Grigio for several months. To properly store the wine, place it in a temperature controlled environment where the temperature doesn’t have wide daily swings and is always under 70 degrees. Don’t store the wine in a refrigerator, which is too cold for long term storage. Always store the wine on its side away from direct light and vibration.
Properly chilling Pinot Grigio before you serve it can help you to truly enjoy the flavors, aromas and body of this delicious light wine.
By Karen Frazier
California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS)
***Grabbed from: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Do_You_Serve_Pinot_Grigio_Chilled