The Best Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris Wines

Pinot Gris (or Grigio, if Italian) is grown around the world these days, but the most significant sources are northern Italy, France’s Alsace region, and Oregon. Much of it, especially in Italy, goes into relatively anonymous, mass-produced bottles, but when grown well and made with care, Pinot Gris can be as impressively complex as it is refreshing. 

The variety itself is, as the name would suggest, a genetic variant of Pinot Noir, the skins of the grapes rosy-gray rather than red-purple. (Nor are all Pinot Grigios the pale straw color we typically associate with the variety. Traditional ramato Pinot Grigios from Italy’s Friuli region are made by allowing the juice to have a little contact with the skins, and have hues ranging from pale orange to salmon, even to amber.)

Italian Pinot Grigios tend to be light-bodied, crisp, and fairly simple, though some producers are making complex, more substantial versions that show off more of the grape’s potential. Alsace Pinot Gris is almost the opposite, typically rich, full-bodied, and full of lush peach and apricot flavors; many have a touch of sweetness. Oregon, where the Pinot Gris/Grigio is the second-most-planted wine grape (after Pinot Noir), splits the difference to some degree, for the most part making medium-bodied wines that borrow hints of the richness of Alsace versions lifted by the briskly refreshing aspect of those from Italy. 

Here are 10 bottles of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris to try right now.

2023 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio ($17)

Vigneti delle Dolomiti, the appellation for this zippy, nectarine-scented white, is a catchall for grapes from Alto Adige, Trentino, and the northern part of the Veneto — basically, the foothills of the Dolomites.

2023 Alois Lageder Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio ($17)

The Lageder family is one of Alto Adige’s benchmark producers. This entry-level Pinot Grigio is a bargain, its mellow citrus flavors accented by hints of elderflower and fresh herbs.

2023 Marco Felluga Mongris Collio Pinot Grigio ($21)

Marco Felluga died last year at 96, after decades of helping bring attention to the wines of his home region. This white is refreshing, with zesty acidity and savory, herbal accents.

2023 Santa Margherita Alto Adige Pinot Grigio ($25)

Wine pros like to dismiss Santa Margherita because it’s so widely available, but this is a charming Pinot Grigio; its light lemon-oil scent leads into light citrus and yellow plum flavors.

2022 Ponzi Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($25)

Ponzi has been making top-notch wines since 1970 (and is now owned by Groupe Bollinger). This tingly white suggests quince and Meyer lemons, with a subtle hint of anise.

2022 Antiquum Farm Daisy Pinot Gris ($30)

An alluring scent of honeysuckle and chamomile leads into full-bodied, rich golden apple and pear notes in this terrific Willamette Valley Pinot Gris from proprietor Stephen Hagen.

2018 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve ($30)

The Trimbach family, who have been making wine in Alsace since the 1600s, work in a steely, dry style across their portfolio of wines. Their reserve Pinot Gris, a benchmark for the variety, has rich pear-lemon flavors and a faint hint of smoky honey, and finishes crisp and bright.

2022 Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio ($35)

Livio Felluga was a legend in Friuli, and today, his children carry on his work at the same remarkable quality as always. This white has a succulent texture, with green apple, white peach, and bay leaf flavors.

2020 Lis Neris Gris Pinot Grigio ($40)

This Pinot Grigio from Friuli has the kind of concentration and layers of flavor you might expect from white Burgundy. Its lush texture and deep red-apple and pear flavors take on creamy, nutty notes on the long finish.

2022 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen Clos Saint-Urbain Grand Cru ($140)

Dry and intense, this Alsace grand cru Pinot Gris is full-bodied, almost oily in texture, but scintillating in its complexity. It comes from a small plot of vines perched above the Thun river in the Rangen grand cru.