Need Help Finding the right wine?
Your personal wine consultant will assist you with buying, managing your collection, investing in wine, entertaining and more.
2009 Chalk Hill Pinot Gris
As low as:
$0.00
As low as:
Wine Details for 2009 Chalk Hill Pinot Gris
| Type of Wine |
California White
: If you're in the mood for a creative, compelling white wine, few regions can compete with California, and it's immense varietal diversity. With the pure, potent essence of grapes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris, these wines will stimulate your senses and arouse your intellect. Give in, and enjoy. |
|---|---|
| Varietal |
Pinot Gris
: One of the most fascinating aspects of wine grapes is their ability to grow in different regions, countries and continents and be distinctly recognizable by the terroir in which they reside. Not all grape varieties have this luxury, but the Pinot Gris grape is somewhat of an anomaly; from its coloration to its adaptability, to its origin and its terroir reflective qualities. The varietal, which originated in Burgundy, France is now grown all over the world, having had successful resulting wines, many of which have their own unique style and flavor. The Pinot Gris grape varietal hails from the noble Pinot family, being a mutation of the legendary Pinot Noir grape. The grape, itself, is peculiar as it ranges in color from gray-tinged pink to blue (“gris” meaning “gray” in French). Unlike most white grapes, such as Pinot Blanc and Riesling, Pinot Gris actually looks more like a red wine grape. Pinot Gris is early ripening and thrives in cool climates such as Alsace in France, Baden in Germany (where it is commonly-known as Grauburgunder) and Alto Adige and Veneto in northeastern Italy (where it is called Pinot Grigio). Its ability to reflect terroir is astounding and no doubt a trait it shares with Pinot Noir (though Pinot Noir is a more fussy grape and less able to adapt to warmer climes). It is highly adaptable to a range of terroirs, including the volcanic hillside soils of Alsace, to the diverse soils of Baden, Germany such as loem, loess, granite, clay, limestone and sand. Pinot Gris also feels right at home in Alto Adige, where the ancient sea bed provides an array of soil types such as clay, chalk deposits and over 150 different rock types which also helps to shape the hilly terrain and mineral rich terroir. Pinot Gris can be vinified in several different styles, each with its own flavor profile. Compared to other French whites, Pinot Gris tends to be less aromatic than Sauvignon Blanc and drier than Chardonnay. The typical Pinot Gris is full-bodied with a fresh, spicy flavor and notes of tropical fruit, stone fruit, or citrus; with riper grapes being less acidic. Although the majority of Pinot Gris produced in France is fashioned in this style, a small amount of prized Alsace Pinot Gris is produced in a sweet dessert styled wine, labeled under the title, Vendage Tardive or VT (meaning late harvest). These prized grapes are the result of Botrytis or Noble Rot, which is a beneficial fungus which attacks the grape, shriveling it to a raisin-like state, locking in heavenly high sugars and flavors. These wines are more age worthy and highly sought after. Italian Pinot Gris (Grigio) wines are light-bodied and crisp, with a flavor profile of pear, green apple and stone fruit, with floral aromas such as honeysuckle. The Italian vinification process begins with an early harvest in an attempt to retain the grape’s naturally high and fresh acidity. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks also helps to retain the grape’s “zing.” If barrels were used for fermentation, it would add palate weight and sweet vanilla aromas. The “everyday” Italian Pinot Gris (Grigio) is fashioned in the former which results in a clean, fresh and simple style at a lower monetary value. This is one of the more popular styles and is voraciously purchased on the US market. The German name for Pinot Gris is Grauburgunder (which translates to “Grey Burgundian”). It is widely cultivated in the regions of Baden, Rheinhesseh and Pfalz, where the styling is more mineral-driven (compliments of the regions’ mineral rich terroir) and has a higher level of acidity. Floral aromas and citrusy flavors come through beautifully; the wines are often tinged with exotic spice notes. Of course, not only is Pinot Gris highly influenced by terroir, but also winemaker which is evident in the Baden locale, where producers focus on richer, fuller-bodied, often sweeter and more fragrant wines. The versatility of the Pinot Gris grape is incredibly impressive. Its reflective nature has allowed the variety to prosper around the world; whether it is the crisp and clean everyday drinking Pinot Grigio from Italy, Grauburgunder cultivated from the rocky terroir of Germany or the lusciously sweet dessert Pinot Gris from the mountainous region of Alsace. Pinot Gris has become one of the most important grape varieties for cool climate vintners and produces some of the most frequently purchased wines in the world. |
| Country |
US
: As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants. |
| Region |
California
: With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine. |
Overview
| Producer | Chalk Hill |
|---|