Gris and Grigio are exactly the same grape variety - its just that Gris is French and Grigio is Italian.
The rapid rise of popularity of Pinot Gris is strongly correlated with the rise and tastes of Asian cuisine in Australia. Pinot Gris is the most versatile and satisfying match with Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and South Asian cuisines.
Over the past decade there's been a growing trend of Asian cuisine – particularly south Asia & south-east Asia - into the Australian fine dining scene. This reflects the zeitgeist of Australia in general, moving away from our association with western Europe to embracing our ties with Asia. It is exciting for diners discovering and tasting the array of spices and herbs being used now at top restaurants in Australia.
The challenge is finding a wine to pair with these flavours - kaffir lime, coriander, chilli, star anise, cardamom and lemongrass.
Pinot Gris with its oily textures and unique fruit sweetness give it the perfect palate weight to handle many of these ingredients.
