Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, is a lighter white variety found growing throughout the world. This wine tends to be light to medium bodied and is mostly produced on the drier side. The grape was made famous from the ocean of examples flooding the U.S. market in the 1990’s and onward, forever cementing itself into the lexicon of wine drinkers. The examples of different styles are far and wide, with sweet examples from Alsace that age gracefully to off dry bottles at the gas station. However, what we find on restaurant wine lists most often are the light, bright styles that go well with earlier courses in the dinner service. Oregon has made great strides with the grape, and the producers who make a great Willamette Valley pinot noir usually make a pretty good pinot gris as well.