Pinot gris is a relative of pinot blanc and is also a clone or mutation of pinot noir. The "gris" in its name stands for grey in French and the "pinot" stands for pine cone for the shape of the grayish-blue clusters. There is a long history that dates back to the Middle Ages where it was spread to Switzerland from the Burgundy region. It was then brought to Hungary by Cistercian monks where it developed the name Szurkebarat, which means grey monk. Pinot gris is mild, fragrant and light citrus lemon flavored depending on how ripe the grapes are at harvest. Some Italian versions are drier as compared to other regions. The wine should be served chilled and pairs well with foods that have high acidity. Citrus fruits, light cheese, to tomato based recipes work well with this wine. Pinot grigio is the same as pinot gris. The French refer to it as pinot gris and the Italians refer to it as pinot grigio.