About Pinot Gris White Wine

About Pinot Gris White Wine
Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, but when a wine is identified as a Pinot Gris, it is generally a more full-bodied, more complex, more age-worthy wine.

The best examples of Pinot Gris come from Alsace in northeastern France and Oregon. These wines are have excellent weight on the palate, good acidity and ripe apple and pear fruit with a distinct spiciness and a dry finish. Most examples are aged only in steel, but some producers in Alsace will age Pinot Gris in large, older wooden casks, which can add a touch of spice as well as additional texture.

There are also some sweeter versions of Pinot Gris produced in Alsace; these are labeled as vendange tardives or grains nobles.

There are also versions of Pinot Gris from the far northwestern Italian region of Valle d'Aosta as well as from California.

Consume most versions of Pinot Gris at an early age, from two to five years. The finest versions of Alsatian Pinot Gris (from Grand Cru vineyards) can be enjoyed at 15-20 years of age.

Food pairings that work well with Pinot Gris include smoked fish, sushi, Asian cuisine, chicken with cream sauce or veal, pork or poultry with mushrooms.

Top Picks for Pinot Gris

King Estate 2021  Pinot Gris
94 points
$19
Best Buy
A delicious, benchmark example of Oregon Pinot Gris; bright and crisp, serve this with antipasto or shellfish.
94 points $19 Best Buy
Kings Ridge 2022  Pinot Gris
93 points
$17
Best Buy
Clean, crisp, and very tasty with tart and complex flavors of fruit and flowers; exactly what you expect for a quality Pinot Gris.
93 points $17 Best Buy
Pend D’Oreille 2021  Pinot Gris
93 points
$22
A rich and weighty Pinot Gris that's stylish and conversation-worthy.
Awards: 2022 Best Pinot Gris
DH Lescombes 2022  Pinot Gris
92 points
$22
A juicy and flavorful Pinot Gris that delivers pure stone fruit with a sleek texture.
Pend D’Oreille 2022  Pinot Gris
90 points
$22
Light, refreshing, and smooth with waves of orchard and stone fruits.
The Great Oregon Wine Company 2020 La Chouette Single Vineyard Pinot Gris
90 points
$26
About as rich as Pinot Gris gets, which means it's still bright and fun with enough seriousness to pair with lighter mains.
Portlandia 2021  Pinot Gris
90 points
$17
Best Buy
Bright and mineral forward, this will please the Pinot Gris crowd.
Awards: '2022 World Value Wine Challenge-Top 10 White Wine $20 and Under' Best Value US Pinot Gris Best Dinner Party White Wine
90 points $17 Best Buy
Emile Beyer 2021 Les Traditions Pinot Gris
89 points
$26
A flavorful white wine that will keep you coming back to the glass wondering what aroma you will find this time; nice complexity that holds your interest on the wine.
Underwood 2022  Pinot Gris
88 points
$14
Best Buy
A nice and refreshing wine with more herbal and green notes here than typical for the varietal.
88 points $14 Best Buy
Black Star Farms 2021 Arcturos Pinot Gris
88 points
$18
An interesting wine with structural elements that will balance well with richer and complex cuisine.