Hazlitt Pinot Gris 750ml

Winery: Hazlitt

Varietal: Pinot Gris

The rise in popularity of Pinot Grigio (also known as Pinot Gris) wines over the past decade has led to this particular grape varietal being planted in many countries around the world in enormous quantities. These grapes range in color from grayish blue to lilac and amber, and with many shades in between. However, they are most prized for their wide range of flavors and aromas, and their relatively high level of 'transparency', or the ability to put across elements of their terroir in the bottle. The Pinot Grigio varietal also has a relatively high natural sugar content, which means that wineries have plenty of scope when it comes to processing their juices, resulting in semi-sweet Pinot Grigio wines, or very lean, crisp and dry examples depending on how much fermentation has been allowed.

Region: New York

To get some idea of how well established many of the wineries in New York state are, one only has to look to certain locations around the Hudson River area of the region, where there are several wineries which have vineyards dating back over three hundred years. This relatively long tradition of wine-making for a New World country has resulted in some truly exceptional wines, making the most of the imported grape varietals which thrive in the cooler, damper climatic conditions which characterize the state. New York today produces a wide range of wine styles, but is mostly known for its white wines made from such esteemed varietals as Riesling and Pinot Noir, and a few superb sparkling wines which demonstrate the strengths of the Chardonnay grapes grown there.

Country: United States

Whilst there are several strains of native grape varietals in the United States, it was the introduction of the European species which prompted the country to begin producing wines on a large scale. Over the past few centuries, experimentation and cross-breeding has produced great successes in regards to the quality and suitability of the fruit grown in states such as California, Oregon, Washington and New York, and the past few decades have seen New World wines from the United States reach much higher standards. Arguably the finest United States wines have always come out of California, where the climate and terrroir is most suitable for fine wine production. The masterful blending of classic grape varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, amongst others including Syrah and Chardonnay, have had world beating results in recent years, prompting many to suggest that there has never been a better time for buying and drinking United States wines.