The Origin of Grigio Et Cetera

One of the hazards of being a Latin teacher is that people expect me to know etymology. Most recently, the question was what is the origin of the word "grigio"? My first thought was gris, the French word for "gray". But what is the connection to the wine pinot grigio?

So I am not a wine aficionado or I would have known already that "the proper name" for pinot grigio is pinot gris. In other words, I was cluelessly right. According to Fiona Muller of The Dundee Messenger, the pinot grigio grape is a "mutation of the black grape Pinot Noir and it has a skin which is of a weird grey/pink colour". Although the original name for the grape is French, Muller believes that northern Italy is its "spiritual home".

Bring on the etymology questions. Like, one of the regions best known for pinot grigio is Collio Goriziano in Italy's far northeastern corner. The name Collio comes from the Latin word collis meaning "hill".

The hill country of Collio Goriziano has been producing wine for centuries maybe millennia. According to Stefano Milioni, "ancient Greek writers mentioned a wine of the Gorizia area, which they identified as Adriano".

Adriano comes from the Latin Adrianus meaning "of the Adriatic". This wine region of Italy borders the Adriatic Sea and benefits from the mild sea climate.

Sometimes etymology is a guessing game. The Online Etymology Dictionary can inform me that "Adriatic" derives from the town Atria which is now Atri. But what is the origin of the name Atria? Is Atria the "black city" from the Latin word atra (black) or is it the "sea city" from the Illyrian word adur (sea)?

Another connection to the Adriatic is a small river called the Rubicon. I am seeing a black and red checkerboard here because the name of the river probably comes from the rubicundus ("reddish") soil of its banks. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon with his army, that deed was his point of no return. He was breaking Roman law by bringing his army into Italy.

That's ancient history though. Let's get back to etymology.

Of course, the word "wine" itself is Latin vinum. Perhaps you have heard the caveat In vino veritas. Mind what you say when drinking for there is truth in wine. Goodness, I didn't even have any of that pinot grigio and look what it has done to me.

Milioni, Stefano. Italian Made Wines. http://www.italianmade.com/wines/DOC10116.cfm. On 19 June 2009.

Muller, Fiona. "Your Guide to Pinot Grigio." 01 May 2009 http://www.dundeemessenger.co.uk/lifestyle/wine/pinot_grigio.htm On 19 June 2009.

Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php. On 25 June 2009.