National “Pinecone” Day! Well, sort of … May 17th was national Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris Day, so it seemed fitting to highlight! Pinot is the French term for Pinecone. Okay, so why has it been associated with a wine grape? Well, most “Pinot” wines—Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, etc.—grow in very tight clusters that resemble the shape of a pinecone.
When thinking about Italian wine, it is most common to think of Northern or Central Italy—Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, etc. However, there are some interesting, unique wines to seriously consider, if you’ll take your palate to the southern regions of Italy, more specifically, to the most southern areas, the island of Sicily, Basilicata, and Campania.
With the back-to-school season upon us, this is a good time to go back to “wine” school and get down to basics; to go back to the root of your wine enthusiasm. Whether you drink wine for sport or edification, it always enriches the experience to get down to the roots. Going back to basics is always a good exercise, to not only enhance your experience, but to refresh the mind and awaken your palate to new experiences.
Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are two names for the same grape variety. Often the produced wines will exhibit very distinct characteristic differences, due to the winemaking styles and regional influences.
It is finally spring and, although here in Virginia our winter was a mild one, as far as the wintry stuff goes, this wine lover is ready for some warmer temps and brighter days! It is time to shed all the layers, clean off the patio furniture, and stock up on fresh and zippy wines to wake us up from our winter hibernation!
