Maison Vauron | Wine Knowledge Pinot Gris vs Pinot Grigio: Where Do French Styles Fit? A guide to the grape that wears many names Few grapes cause as much confusion on a wine list as Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio. Same grape, different name, and yet the wines can taste worlds apart. Add Alsace into the conversation and many wine lovers find themselves genuinely lost. At Maison Vauron, we have long championed French wine, and this grape in its French expression is one we find endlessly rewarding. This guide untangles the names, explains the styles, and makes the case for why Alsace Pinot Gris belongs in every serious wine lover's rotation. One Grape, Two Names Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are technically the same grape: a colour mutation of Pinot Noir whose berries range from grey-blue to pinkish copper. The name you see on the label is usually the biggest clue to what style of wine is inside the bottle. Pinot Grigio is the Italian name, and it has come to represent a light, crisp, high-acid style built for immediate refreshment. Think zesty citrus peel, green apple, and apricot skin, with a dry, clean finish. These wines are intentionally lean and thirst-quenching. Pinot Gris is the French name, most closely associated with Alsace, and it tells a very different story. These wines are full-bodied, richly textured, and layered with ripe orchard fruit, warm spice, and in some cases, the honeyed complexity of botrytis. They are wines that reward attention.