

In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From? California produces both styles with success. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli-all in Italy’s northeast. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles.
#King estate pinot gris full#
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. Increasing curiosity has risen recently in the potential of others like Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Gamay. Though Pinot noir enjoys the limelight here, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay also thrive in the Willamette. The Hills' close proximity to the Van Duzer Corridor (which became its own appellation as of 2019) also creates grapes with great concentration and firm acidity, leading to wines that perfectly express both power and grace. In the most southern stretch of the Willamette, the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA soils are mixed, shallow and well-drained. The iron-rich, basalt-based, Jory volcanic soils found commonly in the Dundee Hills are rich in clay and hold water well the chalky, sedimentary soils of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville encourage complex root systems as vines struggle to search for water and minerals. The valley's three prominent soil types (volcanic, sedimentary and silty, loess) make it unique and create significant differences in wine styles among its vineyards and sub-AVAs. Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation vineyard sites. With a continental climate moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture and the production of elegant wines.

One of Pinot Noir's most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. King Estate's critically-acclaimed Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are available through fine restaurants and retailers around the world. King Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are sourced primarily from estate-grown, certified Biodynamic fruit, blended with the best selection of grapes from like-minded Willamette Valley AVA vineyard partners committed to sustainable agriculture.Organically-farmed and managed as a fully-integrated ecosystem, King Estate is also home to an innovative culinary program whose focus is the synergy of local, organically produced food and wine created just outside the winery doors. In addition to world-class vineyards, their estate is home to organic orchards, vegetable gardens, and a host of native wildlife including cougar and black bear. King Estate is a sustainably-farmed 1033-acre certified organic vineyard complex and state of the art winery situated atop the rolling slopes in the Coast Range foothills, near the southern end of Oregon's Willamette Valley.
