Look to Northwest for full-bodied pinot grigio

While pinot grigio (made in Italy) continues to rise in popularity, new wine drinkers might not realize that the same wine is called pinot gris in other countries.

"Gris" or "grigio" means gray, referring to the pinot grapes that come in different colors.

While the wines are made from the same grape, they can be different in style.

For example, Italy's versions tend to be pale and delicate, while Oregon's wines can be gold colored and more full-bodied.

Residents of the American Northwest swear by their pinot gris as a companion for salmon, fish and other seafood. Making a match is not always that easy.

Here are four the wine-tasting group recommends from the Northwest, all more full-bodied than the Italian version:

- 2001 King Estate Pinot Gris at $15.99.

- 2000 Rex Hill Pinot Gris at $17.99.

- 2001 Big Fire Pinot Gris at $15.99.

- 2001 Ponzi Pinot Gris at $14.99.

Following is an answer to a recent e-mail question:

Question: I asked the proprietor of my neighborhood wine store for a budget-minded syrah and took the $8 bottle of Micheal Picard 2001 that was suggested. It wasn't bad, but today I am grappling to find words to describe a specific part of its character. It had a very pleasant taste entering the mouth, was OK while still in the mouth, but as each sip left my tongue, it was ... just gone. Vanished without a trace. It did not cause my teeth to feel dry as if there were too much tannin. I'm guessing the phrase is "short finish," but that doesn't quite explain the perfect non-event of swallowing this wine. Is there a word in the vocabulary to describe this phenomenon?

By the way, later on I sipped a second helping of the wine while reading a book. After a chapter or so, the empty mouth feeling on the finish was gone. I'm guessing some alcohol evaporated and made this change.

I was actually looking to try a syrah with the same mellow, earthy quality of one I once tried. (It tasted rather much like lentils.) At the time, I didn't like it, but tastes do change. I find myself in the mood for it now. Do you have a suggestion for such a wine?

Answer: Short finish is the terminology. As for the second glass, I doubt that much alcohol evaporated. More likely the wine reacted to the oxygen in the air and opened up, allowing it to breathe.

American and Australian syrah and shiraz tend to be more fruity than European.

I have not encountered lentils before, but to get that earthy taste you seek, you will probably have to pay more than $8. You might also consider a syrah or shiraz blend. Here are a couple:

- 2001 Rosemount Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon at $13.99. This wine was straightforward and less complicated. It had lots of different fruit flavors: plums, blackberries, orange rind and caramelized fruit plus some vanilla. The wine was 45 percent cabernet and 55 percent shiraz. Tasters thought this blend would go well with duck.

- 2000 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon at $10.99. A previous vintage is a great value at this price. It had a dark, smoky color, with deep, deep plum flavors plus oak. The finish was smoky. The wine, made from 61 percent shiraz and 39 percent cabernet sauvignon, still was tightly wound and needs a couple of years of aging before the wine will open up. Or let it breathe for 30 minutes before serving.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to editor