Top 10 Pinot Grigios of 2022

We have picked out the 10 best-performing wines from this year’s Global Pinot Grigio Masters. As the only competition in the UK to blind-taste all sources and styles of Pinot Grigio side-by-side, the unexpected can often shine, which, in 2022, included a bargain from Aldi and a fine fizz from Sussex.

As you can see in our report on all the medallists in this year’s tasting, among the still wines, it was notable how good the samples were from Trentino-Alto Adige, where the verdant hills of this Italian region, which rises up towards the Dolomites, produce refreshing examples, but with plenty of appealing orchard fruit flavours, primarily apple and pear.

Elsewhere, Pinot Grigios from other parts of northern Italy gained high scores, such as Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto, while the competition also featured first-rate wines from New Zealand – a source of increasingly good Pinot Gris*, often in a slightly more textural, oilier style than Italy – and a top-end example from Romania, called Hyperion from The Iconic Estate.

Please read on to see the 10 best samples from this year’s competition, and, to see a list of all the medallists, please click here.

* While the Italians called the grape Pinot Grigio, it is in fact a variety that originates from France, where it’s called Pinot Gris, and tends to be made in a style that is fuller and rounder. Hence, other countries that make wines from this grape in a more textural style, like producers in New Zealand, tend to use its French name to indicate to the consumer that the wine is richer in character, sometimes with a touch of residual sugar. 

THE ELIZABETHAN BLANC DE BLANCS

• Producer: Fox & Fox Mayfield
• Region: England, East Sussex
• Country: UK
• Grape varieties: 90% Pinot Grigio, 10% Chardonnay
• ABV: 12%
• Residual sugar: Brut (under 12g/l)
• Vintage: 2014
• Dosage: 7.5g/l
• Approx. retail price: £45
• Medal: Gold

Made from the fruits of the 2014 harvest for releasing this year for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, this Pinot Gris sparkling wine has spent seven years ageing on its lees before disgorging in January. The style is quite evolved, and gently oxidative, with some honeyed notes, dried fruit and plenty of bready flavours, along with a finish that mixes characters of salt and fresh apple, giving it a Fino-like finish, albeit a sparkling equivalent.

P. LEX PINOT GRIGIO DELLE VENEZIE DOC BIO 2021

• Producer: Botter Spa a Socio Unico
• Region: delle Venezie
• Country: Italy
• Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 12.5%
• Residual sugar: 8g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Approx. retail price: £10
• Medal: Gold

This Pinot Grigio from the delle Venezie DOC employs certified organically grown grapes to yield a bright white wine with some ripe notes of pineapple and melon, along with fresher characters of green apple, and lemon zest, along with a chalky-textured dry finish.

MEZZACORONA PINOT GRIGIO RISERVA

• Producer: Mezzacorona
• Region: Trentino Alto-Adige
• Country: Italy
• Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 12.5%
• Residual sugar: 3.8g/l
• Vintage: 2020
• Approx. retail price: £10
• Medal: Gold

This Riserva expression from the Mezzacorona – alarge Trentino grower-co-operative – has been partly aged in barrels to bring a touch of additional textural richness and oak-derived flavours. As a result, it’s quite a powerful Pinot Grigio by northern Italian standards, with a touch of creaminess, a hint of vanilla, and hazelnut, then some honey, pear and pineapple fruit and, finally, a zesty crisp apple-like finish.

PINOT GRIGIO TRENTINO DOC CONTESSA GIOVANNA MANCI

• Producer: Cantina Sociale Trento
• Region: Fruili
• Country: Italy
• Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 12.5%
• Residual sugar: 3g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Approx. retail price: £15
• Medal: Gold

The flagship Pinot Grigio from Cantina Sociale Trento employs high-quality hillside vineyards to create a white wine with plenty of crisp fresh characters, and a dry, chalky, zesty edge, but a core with some ripe orchard fruits. An impressive Pinot Grigio showcasing the quality attainable from great sites in the foothills of the Dolomites.

TERRAZZE DELLA LUNA PINOT GRIGIO 2021 TRENTINO DOC

• Producer: Cavit Trento Vini i Spumanti
• Region: Trentino-Alto Adige
• Country: Italy
• Grape varieties: 85% Pinot Grigio, 15% Chardonnay
• ABV: 12.0%
• Residual sugar: 3g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Screwcap
• Approx. retail price: £9
• Medal: Gold

Cavit is one of the larger co-operative wine cellars in northern Italy, located just under the shadow of the imposing pre-Alps in Trentino. Because Cavit sources grapes from 5,250 growers (and 6,350 hectares) in Trentino, the winemakers can select to produce a wide range of wines. This very affordable Pinot Grigio is delicious, not least because the 15% of Chardonnay adds extra depth across the mid-palate. Very pale silver limeleaf green in colour, the wine shows pure green apple and barely-ripe pineapple, with white flower notes. Just off-dry, and light-bodied, the lovely fruit is balanced by zesty acidity and just a hint of astringency giving added structure. Extremely interesting wine at under £10, it’s a favourite with a light prawn stir-fry or, perhaps, fish and chips in the local pub?

NJOY PINOT GRIGIO 2021, MOLDOVA

• Producer: Salcuta
• Region: Republic of Moldova
• Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 12.0%
• Residual sugar: 5.5g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Screwcap
• Approx. retail price: sub £10
• Medal: Silver

This inexpensive, fruity Pinot Grigio from Moldova has plenty of pear and pineapple flavours, and some orange zest on the finish to refresh. While dry, it is packed with ripe fruit, making it richer than an equivalent from Northern Italy, and a wine to ‘njoy’ with richer fish and white meat dishes.

CA’ BOLANI PINOT GRIGIO 2021 FRIULI AQUILEIA DOC

• Producer: Ca’ Bolan
• Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
• Country: Italy
• Grape variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 13.0%
• Residual sugar: 7g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Cork
• Approx. retail price: £14
• Medal: Gold

A property of Zonin, the Castello is set amid 999 cypress trees that encourage biodiversity at the estate. Set between the pre-Alps and the Adriatic, where cool breezes from the sea and the protection from violent weather from the north facilitate excellent conditions for growing grapes. The wine itself represents the terroir of clay and gravel ponca soils. Very pale lemon-green colour, the wine has orchard fruits with herbal and smoky overtones. Just off-dry, brisk acidity frames the fragrant, fresh fruit flavours which lead to a long, slightly spicy, white pepper finish. Excellent with chicken in a lemon-crème fraiche sauce, or sole meunière or sole almandine.

PINOT HYPERION PINOT GRIGIO

• Producer: The Iconic Estate
• Region: Dealu Mare
• Country: Romania
• Grape variety: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 13.0%
• Residual sugar: 3g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Cork
• Approx. retail price: £16
• Medal: Silver

Although this Romanian Pinot Grigio did not make high-enough combined scores to gain a Gold, it achieved a Silver medal for its ripe fruit flavours, from peach to apricot, along with its subtle note of honey, and it’s combination of an oily texture and a fresh acidity, with an appealing touch of crisp apple on the finish.

FREEMAN’S BAY, GISBORNE PINOT GRIS

• Producer: Aldi
• Region: Gisborne
• Country: New Zealand
• Grape varieties: 94% Pinot Gris, 4% Gewürztraminer, 2% Chardonnay
• ABV: 13.0%
• Residual sugar: NA
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Screwcap
• Approx. retail price: £9
• Medal: Gold

Made for discount superstore Aldi using grapes from New Zealand’s Gisborne wine region, this is quite a rich style of Pinot Gris, at least compared with an example from Italy at a similar price. There’s a touch of sweetness, and a slightly oily texture to the wine, which has layers of pear and pineapple flavours, and a hint of honeysuckle too, before finishing with a balancing note of crisp apple.

CLASSICI PINOT GRIGIO ROSE

• Producer: Cantina LaVis
• Region: Trentino
• Country: Italy
• Grape varieties: 100% Pinot Grigio
• ABV: 13.0%
• Residual sugar: 3.8g/l
• Vintage: 2021
• Closure: Cork
• Approx. retail price: £11
• Medal: Silver

A Silver-medal-winning example of Pinot Grigio rosato with a lovely pale salmon pink appearance, with copper-coloured glints, and notes of crunchy red berries and ripe apple along with a chalky-textured, bone dry finish.

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