It keeps the grapes' natural acidity from respiring out before the grape fully ripens, which means that rich, mature fruit doesn't yield flabby, jamlike wine.
Couple this with the grape's prima donna temperature demands--warm though not-too-warm days to ripen up, but with cool nights to keep acidity from respiring out--and you begin to see why making great Pinot Gris takes a special calling.
Couple this with the grape's prima donna temperature demands-warm though not-too-warm days to ripen up, but with cool nights to keep acidity from respiring out-and you begin to see why making great Pinot Gris takes a special calling.