In a world-first, Australian producers of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris wines now have access to a simple labeling device which tells consumers the ‘style’ of the wine.
Called the PinotG Style Spectrum, the label indicates to consumers whether the style of the Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris wine is ‘crisp’ or ‘luscious’ or somewhere on a scale in-between. This gives consumers greater confidence in choosing a Grigio or Gris wine based on their own style preference.
The PinotG Style Spectrum has been developed by The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), in collaboration with some of Australia’s leading wine producers.
To qualify for a label, the wine is ‘fingerprinted’ by the AWRI, which scientifically quantifies where on the scale (between ‘crisp’ and ‘luscious’) the particular wine sits. The label is easy to understand for consumers considering purchasing Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris wines.
So why is there confusion about the Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris style? Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris wines are made from the same grape variety. Traditionally, the styles of wines produced in northern Italy and labeled Pinot Grigio have been crisp and zesty, with wines from Alsace, labeled Pinot Gris being luscious and rich in texture. In Australia, an extraordinary range of Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris wine styles are being produced, with some being crisp and zesty, others luscious and rich in texture, and others again showing every conceivable combination of those characteristics.
The PinotG Style Spectrum labels will be first released on 2010 vintage wines from Foster’s and Cellarmasters wines, with other producers to follow in 2011. Wine producers who want to investigate the option of using the PinotG Style Spectrum label on their Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris wine bottles should contact Peter Godden at the AWRI (tel: 08 8303 6600).
Further information:
Rae Blair, Communications Manager (tel: 0417 810 737, email: rae.blair@awri.com.au)
Peter Godden, Group Manager – Industry Applications (tel: 08 8303 6600, email: peter.godden@awri.com.au)
Website: http://www.pinotg.com.au