Wines made from Pinot gris grapes of Schaffhausen
Discover the best wines made with Pinot gris as a single variety or as a blend of Schaffhausen.
Pinot Gris is a grey grape variety mutated from Pinot Noir. It has its origins in Burgundy, where it is called pinot-beurot in reference to the colour of the grey robes worn by the monks of the region. Established in Alsace since the 17th century, pinot gris was called tokay until 2007. It is made up of bunches of small berries that vary in colour from pink to blue-grey. It is particularly well suited to the continental climate because it is resistant to the cold in winter and to spring frosts. This variety also likes dry limestone soils with plenty of sunshine in the summer. Pinot Gris is well suited to late harvesting or to the selection of noble grapes, depending on the year and the concentration of sugars in the berries. Pinot Gris wines are distinguished by their aromatic complexity of white fruits, mushrooms, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, etc., and their great finesse. In the Loire Valley, pinot gris is used in the Coteaux-d'Ancenis appellations. It gives dry or sweet wines with pear and peach aromas.
Schaffhausen is a small canton (state) in northern Switzerland which for its Size produces a relatively large quantity of wine. Being the only Part of Switzerland to cross over the Rhein river, the canton of Schaffhausen is effectively an enclave of Switzerland in southern Germany, and this is Clear from the Germanic wine styles made here. Roughly 70 percent of Schaffhausen wine is red. As with many German regions today, including neighboring Baden, it is made almost entirely from Pinot Noir (Blauburgunder to the German-speaking population here), with a minor supporting role played by the crossings Diolinoir and Garanoir.