3 syllables: Pi, not Gri, gio. Stress on not Gri.
pin-OH grij-oh
/pɪˈnoʊ ˌɡrɪdʒoʊ/
Pinot Grigio is pronounced pin-OH grij-oh (/pɪˈnoʊ ˌɡrɪdʒoʊ/). It has three syllables (Pi-not Gri-gio), with the stress on "not Gri". Pinot Grigio is a well-known white wine producer's name and varietal label used primarily for Italian wines. It is often used in English to refer to both the Italian grape Pinot Gris grown in Italy and wines labelled Grigio. In common usage, it denotes a crisp, light-to-medium-bodied white wine, typically with citrus or green apple notes.
proper nounPinot Grigio is a well-known white wine producer's name and varietal label used primarily for Italian wines. It is often used in English to refer to both the Italian grape Pinot Gris grown in Italy and wines labelled Grigio. In common usage, it denotes a crisp, light-to-medium-bodied white wine, typically with citrus or green apple notes.
How to Pronounce Pinot Grigio
"We ordered a chilled Pinot Grigio to pair with seafood pasta."
"The Pinot Grigio from that region has a bright acidity and mineral finish."
"She prefers a glass of Pinot Grigio with her light salads."
US: PIN-ot GREE-zho (ˈpiˌnoʊ ˈɡriːdʒo). Emphasize the first syllable of Pinot and a clear, mid 'ee' in Grigio’s middle syllable; end with a soft 'jo' as in 'joe' but shorter. UK: PEE-nott GRIJ-ee-oh (ˈpiːnɒt ˈɡrɪdʒiə). Stress slightly on the first syllable of Pinot; the second word has a short i and ending schwa-like vowel. AU: PEE-nott GRIJ-ee-oh (ˈpiːnɒt ˈɡrɪd͡ʒiə). Similar to UK, with non-rhotic tendencies and a compact final vowel.
Mistakes include pronouncing Pinot with a flat, dull vowel or flattening the second syllable; misplacing stress on Grigio (emphasizing the final syllable too much). Also, pronouncing Grigio as ‘gree-gee-oh’ with an elongated first syllable, or mispronouncing the final ‘gio’ as ‘gee-oh’ rather than the short ‘jo’ sound. Correct by practicing PIN-ot with a clear ‘o’ in Pinot and a soft, zh-like ending in Grigio: Gree-dzho with a short 'dzho' blend.
US typically shows stronger rhotics in Pinot and a longer, rounded ‘o’ in Pinot; Grigio ends with a clear ‘jo’ like ‘joe’ but shorter. UK tends toward non-rhoticity, lighter vowel quality, and a clipped Grigio ending. Australian speech often merges qualities of both, with less rhotic emphasis than US and a slightly broader vowel in Grigio. All share two-syllable Pinot and a two-syllable Grigio, but vowel harmony and final consonant voicing vary.
Two main challenges: the Italian stress and the 'gio' cluster. 'Pinot' blends two consonants before a stressed vowel; the 'Grigio' ends with a soft 'gio' sound that people often mispronounce as ‘gee-oh’ or as a hard ‘gio’ cluster. The presence of a non-native syllabic rhythm and Italian diphthongs adds complexity for English speakers, who often misplace stress or elongate the final vowel.
Unique to this term is the two-word Italian label used in English contexts; the 'Grigio' carries a soft 'gio' pronounced as 'dzho' or 'jee-oh' depending on accent, with the preferred English rendering tending toward a short, crisp ending: GREE-dzho in many pronunciations. Remember the stress typically stays on Pinot and a crisp, short final sound in Grigio.
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Pinot Grigio is a bilingual French-Italian name. Pinot comes from the French word pin, associated with the grape’s pinecone-shaped clusters, while Grigio means gray in Italian, referring to the grape’s grayish blue skins. The term Pinot Grigio historically denotes the Lombardy and Veneto wine traditions where the grape is grown. In French, the same grape is known as Pinot Gris, reflecting the light-to-dark grayish-blue skin color and the shift in spelling in different languages. The earliest references to Pinot grapes appear in mid-19th-century French viticulture literature, with its broader popularity rising in the late 20th century as Italian wines gained global distribution. Over time, “Pinot Grigio” in English-speaking markets became the dominant label in many casual contexts, while “Pinot Gris” retains usage among wine connoisseurs and in markets emphasizing French cultivation. First known uses align with vintners labeling wines from the northeastern Italian regions such as Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto; the global proliferation of the name follows international marketing, export dynamics, and consumer familiarity with the style rather than a single founding event. The etymology thus reflects a cross-cultural naming tradition: a French-origin grape (Pinot) described by Italian color semantics (Grigio).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pinot Grigio" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Pinot Grigio"
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