Varietal: Pinot Gris
The grayish blue fruits of the Pinot Grigio grape varietal are used in the production of a very wide, and seemingly ever widening, range of quality white wines. These grapes pick up much of the features of their terroir, and as such, it isn't unusual to find find Pinot Grigio wines which have something of an alpine character, or hold slightly ashen, smoky flavors soaked up from various soils. They have a naturally high sugar content, which, depending on how they are handled and processed either leads to them producing semi-sweet wines, or drier, more fermented wines, or even wines with a relatively high alcohol content. These grapes prefer cooler climates, and as such are grown in several countries around the world which have strong oceanic breezes or shady valley regions.
Country: Canada
Canada is not a country many people readily associate with wine production and vineyard cultivation, although it has been successfully producing a range of quality wines for over two hundred years. Many of the wineries in Canada are used exclusively for the production of ice wine, a special style of wine which involves allowing the grapes to freeze in the early frost, thus intensifying the sugars and natural flavors of the grapes. However, recent years have seen wineries in several parts of the country producing more traditional styles of wines, using a blend of traditional and modern techniques and methods to achieve excellent results. The vast majority of Canadian wineries are located in British Columbia and Ontario, although everywhere from Quebec to the shores of Lake Erie also have well established wineries producing characterful Canadian produce.
