Sommeliers Reveal The Best And Worst Pinot Grigios For White Wine Lovers

White wine lovers know that picking out the perfect pinot grigio is a personal experience, but it can be helpful to know where to start. A recommendation for a nice wine can change the shape of a meal, and many of us rely on the expertise of a professional when choosing the perfect bottle to pair with dinner at a restaurant. But what about when you're at the grocery store, hitting up the wine aisles alone? How do you know which wine to bring home with you — and which bottles are better left behind?

We asked highly experienced wine experts to recommend their favorite wines, as well as some characteristics to avoid, when picking out your next bottle of pinot grigio. Our experts are Scott Carney, master sommelier and Dean of Wine Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York City campus; Auriane d'Aramon, who has an MBA in wine business and has been the head wine buyer for Friarwood Wines & Spirits for nine years; Patrizia Vigolo, wine expert and founder at Patrizia Vigolo Wine Consultancy; Erick Ramirez, sommelier at La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway inside the Wynn Las Vegas; Joe Mele, co-host of The Wine Pair Podcast; Gregory Cole Johnson, beverage manager for Patina Restaurant Group in Orlando; Kaori Yoshioka, restaurant manager and sommelier at SHINGO Miami; and Jason Scarborough, a sommelier and co-owner of Bar Becky in Long Beach, California. Prices of the wines may vary.

These days, you can find a bottle of pinot grigio or pinot gris grown almost anywhere in the world, but if you're looking for a high-quality bottle, it's important to pay attention to the country of origin. "Pinot Grigio is the exact same varietal as Pinot Gris. The grape made its way to Northern Italy in the 14th century from its home in Burgundy, France," says Jason Scarborough. The experts all agreed that location is key and can be an indicator of what to expect.

"Pinot Gris from Alsace, France, and Willamette Valley, Oregon, and Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, Friuli, Italy have great reputations," says sommelier Kaori Yoshioka. Patrizia Vigolo concurs, calling the geographical origin "critical." Pinot grigio grapes grow best on hillsides in cool climates, making places like Italy, France, and Oregon ideal landscapes for this type of grape. That doesn't mean you can't find a nice bottle grown in California or New Zealand, but if you're uncertain where to start, choosing a bottle from one of these locations is a good bet.

The Veneto region of Italy is known as the home of the oldest botanical garden in the world, a great place to ski, and, of course, the city of Venice. It's also known for its incredible food and wine, and it's the home of Terre Passeri Pinot Grigio, a top choice for master sommelier Auriane d'Aramon. She calls the 2023 vintage aromatically intense and says, "This wine delivers bright pear, lemon zest, and honeysuckle notes. With a well-rounded structure and vibrant finish, it's ideal for white wine lovers seeking depth and freshness."

The wine is an affordable choice, costing around $10 per bottle. With its light and expressive flavor, it's a good match for salads, seafood, and quiches. It might even be the perfect wine to pair with your next pizza. Sommelier Jason Scarborough points out that a quality pinot grigio (or gris), "is powerful and can stand up to most any cuisine."

Great pinot grigio doesn't have to come from Italy, France, or even Oregon. One of Auriane d'Aramon's favorites, Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio, hails from Australia. She recommends this wine as an option for the "adventurous drinker" due to its unique texture and complexity, noting that this wine "incorporates skin contact, resulting in a light pink hue and unique character."

When it comes to wine, the term "skin contact" is another way to explain the maceration process. It refers to the amount of time the grape remains in contact with the juice, and impacts the final color, flavor, and aroma of the wine. Skin contact wines may include sediment and have a cloudy texture, and they are sometimes described as "rustic" –- but that shouldn't sway you from trying these unique wines. One bottle of Tar & Roses will cost you about $13. Save this bottle to drink with your favorite seafood.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is one of the most popular wine brands in the United States, creating affordable wines with bottles that hit around the $7 price point. Wine lovers don't love the 2017 Pinot Grigio, though, describing it as average, one-dimensional, and tasting only vaguely like pinot grigio. This might be due to its mass production, which our experts all agree is a red flag in a pinot grigio.

"I think that mass-produced pinot grigio betrays the variety and diminishes its reputation. Pinot grigio deserves, and gets, from caring growers an individuality and sense of place that is the result of the care given to the vines during the growing season and the thoughtful decisions made in the cellar," says Carney. Wine is a very personal thing. If you find yourself with a bottle of wine you don't enjoy but you don't want to throw it away, repurpose it and use it for cooking, instead.

Reguta Pinot Grigio originates in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Northern Italy, which is famous for its stunning hillside vineyards and wine resorts. Auriane d'Aramon calls out Reguta's 2023 vintage as being particularly special. She says it's perfect to pair with both "casual aperitifs or elegant meals," calling it a "shining example of balance and finesse. Its crisp acidity is complemented by green apple, citrus, and minerality, embodying the terroir of Friuli Venezia Giulia."

Terroir is a term many of our experts used when describing their wine choices. The word is French, and refers to the unique aspects of an area's geographical components (like soil and climate) that would impact the flavor of the area's crops — and in particular, wine. Terroir has become an important aspect in the classification and rating of wine around the world. The refreshing Reguta Pinot Grigio 2023 costs less than $10 per bottle.

Another wine that originates in the Veneto region of Italy is the Albino Armani Pinot Grigio Colle Ara, which Patrizia Vigolo recognizes as a top choice for anyone shopping for a pinot grigio. She says, "This wine is a stellar example of how Pinot Grigio can transcend its reputation as a simple, easy-drinking white. Sourced from high-altitude vineyards, Colle Ara is characterized by vibrant acidity, delicate floral notes, and refined minerality." She also points out it has fruity notes of pomegranate and peach that are paired with hints of ripe pear and white flowers.

"What truly sets it apart is its depth of flavor, with layers of ripe pear, white peach, and a delicate saline finish that reflects the terroir," says Vigolo. She suggests serving this versatile wine with seafood, light pasta dishes, or a creamy risotto. This is another wine that benefits from skin contact, which is reflected in the copper color of the wine. This Albino Armani winery is over 400 years old, but despite its illustrious history as an Italian winemaker, you can pick up a bottle for just $23.

A steal at less than $20 per bottle, Zorzettig's Pinot Grigio gets rave reviews from Patrizia Vigolo. This wine comes from the Friuli Colli Orientali region of Italy, another region that is home to prestigious wineries and is famous for its incredible wines. "Zorzettig's Pinot Grigio is a shining example of the potential of this variety within Friuli's unique microclimate," says Vigolo. "It offers an extraordinary combination of freshness and complexity, with notes of citrus, green apple, and almond."

Vigolo credits lees aging to the quality of the wine's structure and finish. "Lees aging" is a winemaking technique where the wine is left with spent yeast cells after the wine has fermented. This can change the texture and flavor of the wine. The process can take anywhere from weeks to years, and is commonly used for white or sparkling wines. Vigolo says the lees aging lends structure to this wine, making it a top choice for discerning wine drinkers, saying, "This is an elegant and refined wine that truly showcases the value and potential of Pinot Grigio."

We certainly aren't above boxed wine, but Black Box's Pinot Grigio 2019 falls short. While the convenience of boxed wine can't be beaten (and it might be better for the environment), not all boxes are created equal. The Black Box Pinot Grigio is known for being overly sweet, and tasting like apple, pear, or tropical fruits. It's likely the extra sweetness has to do with two factors: mass production and the state where it was produced. This wine hails from California, which isn't the greatest location for Pinot Grigio grapes to grow.

"You should also be very careful with Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio from warm weather climates like California or Australia," says Joe Mele. "Warm weather tends to make wines very ripe and sugary, and this tamps down on their acidity and crispness." He recommends sticking to pinot grigios from northern Italy, Alsace, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and Marlborough, New Zealand, which has a thriving wine country historically known for its sauvignon blanc. One plus side to the Black Box Pinot Grigio, though, is that you get 3 liters of wine for right around $15. And because it's in a box, you can store it for quite a long time. If you find your wine is too sweet, find another way to put it to good use in the kitchen.

Leon Beyer Pinot Gris is from Alsace, which is a region located in northeastern France next to the German border. Alsace's climate includes warm fall days, cold fall nights, and low rainfall — climate characteristics that lend to the slow maturation of the region's grapes. The area is well known for its riesling, muscat, and pinot gris, to name just a few of the wines that come from here.

"I enjoy Leon Beyer from Alsace, as their wines age beautifully," says sommelier Erick Ramirez. "We currently have the 2010 vintage, and it's drinking amazingly well." He goes on to recommend Alsatian Pinot Gris in general, saying, "They can age beautifully over time, developing great depth and complexity, often with lovely floral notes that add to their charm." The Leon Beyer Pinot Gris costs about $30 per bottle. Try pairing it with pasta or your favorite fish dish, for a well-rounded flavor experience at your next meal.

Livio Felluga pulls on the experience of six generations of winemakers in the Italian town of Collio, Lombardy, to create a beautiful and refreshing Pinot Grigio that is well-loved for being full-bodied and crisp. "I would suggest Livio Felluga from Friuli in northern Italy, says Gregory Cole Johnson. "Most people will tell you that this is where the best Italian pinot grigio is produced. They are probably right."

Pinot Grigio is a light-bodied wine, and several of our experts referred to it as a nice option for summer. Johnson says, "I love Livio Felluga—its youthful character is perfect for a summer day by the pool."

Expert Jason Scarborough agrees that wine from Northern Italy can't be beat: "Italy's finest Pinot Grigio all comes from higher elevation vineyard sights with low yields. The wines are bright, aromatic, and complex. I like to call them 'nervy'. You keep going back, constantly discovering something new in the glass." A bottle of Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio costs less than $30 and will pair nicely with spicy food.

There's lots to love about Costco, and that extends to its wine choices. You don't need to be a member to appreciate the affordable and high-quality wine options your local Costco has to offer. Joe Mele agrees, noting that the 2022 Kirkland Signature Grave Pinot Grigio "is a steal at around $5." The wine podcast host goes on to say that "We gave it an average rating of 8.5 out of 10. We found it easy drinking and fresh, and would be a perfect summer sipper."

Kirkland Signature sources the grapes for this wine from Northern Italy, and Wine Enthusiast gives it a score of 88, which is "very good" according to its rating system. Serve it with a green salad or grilled shrimp. While seafood, salad, and pasta are common pairing recommendations for pinot grigio, you can venture out and pair with other foods, too. The crisp, refreshing nature of this wine might make it a great wine to pair with ham at your next holiday dinner.

FitVine Wines provide drinkers with a calorie-conscious option that has no sugar and is low in tannins and sulfites. While there is something to be said for offering a low-sugar wine for the health-conscious crowd, the 2019 FitVine Pinot Grigio wasn't a huge hit with wine drinkers, who cited it as watery, lacking body, and overpriced for the quality.

It's possible this wine gets poor feedback because it's been so heavily processed, with the end goal of fitting into a diet rather than providing an incredible drinking experience. Wine usually goes through two filtration processes, but FitVines is triple filtered in the name of reducing tannins, sugars, and histamines.

Pinot grigio grapes are delicate, and require exact handling in order to produce a quality wine. Auriane d'Aramon says to avoid wines that are overly neutral, which can happen when grapes are mass-produced. She says, "High-yield, mass-produced versions often taste bland and uninspiring due to a lack of care in production." Look for a bottle of wine that is produced by a winery that specializes in the type of grape you're after.

Pinot grigio often comes with an affordable price tag. Joe Mele acknowledges this while going on to say, "If you are looking for a more expensive wine with a bit more body and complexity, Oregon Pinot Gris can be excellent. A great example is the 2023 Cristom Vineyards Pinot Gris." The Willamette Valley in Oregon is flanked to the east and west by mountain ranges, and it's the largest and oldest wine region in Oregon. The area is known for producing exceptional pinot noir, but it's also renowned for its sparkling wines, Chardonnay, and pinot gris.

Cristom Vineyards' 2023 Pinot Gris was recently named one of the best pinot grigios of 2024 by VinePair. "It has a great weight in the mouth and, while still crisp, has nice flavors of Asian pear, and runs about $30," says Mele. The winery suggests pairing your bottle with a goat cheese salad, pesto pasta, or your favorite spicy Thai dish.

Venica & Venica is yet another Northern Italian wine that our experts recommend (we're seeing a pattern here!). "I love the coppery hues and flavors of the Venica & Venica Jesera Pinot Grigio," says master sommelier and dean of wine studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, Scott Carney. "Jesera is a vineyard from which the fruit is sourced. The winemaker chooses to macerate the fruit for several hours pre-fermentation, so the wine takes on a glamorous coppery hue." Carney goes on to say that the wine has "a faintly floral nose and a broader palate."

A bottle of the Jesera Pino Grigio costs $45. Venica & Venica recommends pairing with canapés, ham, light soups, and grilled meat. To further add to the originality of this wine, the wine was bottled only during full moons and spent six months aging on lees. "It sees some aging in oak," says Carney, "and is simply delicious and easy to drink."

King Estate is the leading pinot gris producer in Oregon. The vineyard is credited with leading the recent surge in the grape's popularity, despite it being introduced to Oregon more than 50 years ago. Wine experts have taken notice. Gregory Cole Johnson says that while he doesn't normally seek domestic pinot grigio, it's worth paying attention to what Oregon has to offer. "Oregon has a robust production as well. King Estate is probably the market leader in Oregon, with bottles ranging from $15 to $40," he says.

King Estate credits its popular, highly-rated wine to the area's cool climate and high elevation. The area is more than just a wine-making hub, though. The Willamette Valley is a thriving travel destination, where tourists can visit wineries, eat at farm-to-table restaurants, and explore the stunning scenery that Oregon has to offer — all while enjoying a refreshing glass of locally-made pinot gris.

An American brand, Cupcake Vineyards is based in central California but sources its pinot grigio grapes from Italy. The vineyard is known for producing inexpensive wines with a fun, light-hearted vibe, and it's likely you've noticed the cute labels when meandering down the wine aisles at your local grocery store. However, the 2018 Cupcake Pinot Grigio is noted as being below average, bland, and lacking acidity, which is a characteristic we want in a pinot grigio.

Wine buyer Auriane d'Aramon recommends avoiding any pinot grigios that lack acidity. She says, "A wine that's flat or overly sweet can feel cloying and lacks the crispness pinot grigio is known for." Acidity is important to a wine because it is part of the drinking experience, adding to the refreshing characteristics of white wine in particular. High-acid wines have a tart flavor and tend to age better than low-acid wines.