All the medallists from the Global Pinot Grigio Masters 2024

Write off Pinot Gris at your peril – because, while high-priced examples continue to shine, cheaper wines can also delight, writes Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

HAS PINOT Grigio lost its attraction? Perhaps not. In this broad group, there was a selection of wines with definition, juicy flavours, purity and balance, mainly from the grape’s heartland of the north of Italy, but with a smattering of samples from all around the globe.

The inexpensive Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris examples have lovely, lemon custard or peach and passionfruit flavours, and fresh acidity, with accents of rose petal or orange and lemon zest adding more interest. The under-£10 wines seem best when dry or nearly dry, with balanced alcohol and sufficient acidity. De Bortoli’s 17 Trees from Australia is one good example; Cramele Recas Wildflower from Romania is another: both easy-going, crowd-pleasing wines.

At £10-15, there are quite a few excellent examples of pure Pinot Gris from Trentino and Alto Adige in the north-central zone of Italy, and from Friuli and Collio in the far northeastern reaches. But the New World comes into its own here too. Two Gold medal winners worth seeking out are Lawson’s Dry Hills Pinot Gris from Marlborough in New Zealand, and Nals Margreid Hill Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige in Italy.

Above £15, the wines performed well, many garnering Silver or Gold medals. Antonutti’s Friuli Pinot Grigio from gravel soils deserves a special mention: delicate, but intense, with lovely peach fruit and racy acidity.

The oaked white Pinot Gris examples judged were quite high-priced (£15 and upwards) and all deserving of Silvers, Golds – and even a Master. Expect beautifully-judged use of creamy oak with no splinters in evidence.

At the more expensive end, a Master medal was awarded to Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris from Central Otago in New Zealand. Meanwhile, a Gold was awarded to Ménage à Trois Wines’ California Pinot Grigio blend. There were a few ‘non-surprise’ wins, from Italian regions including Alto Adige (Nals Margreid’s Punggl), Trentino (Mezzacorona’s Musivum), and Fruili (La Roncaia).

The rosé Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio segment is a category that is rapidly making a name for itself, given the expanding popularity of rosé wines. Mastri Vernacoli’s Rosato Vigneti delle Dolomiti is brilliant, as is Domaine de Reuilly’s top-class Les Fossiles Pinot Gris from the eastern slopes of the central Loire Valley – worthy of every cent it may cost.

All in all, this year’s tasting gave our judges plenty of room for thought – and reversed any notions of personal prejudices against inexpensive Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines.

Unoaked 100% Pinot Gris

Oaked Pinot Gris

Unoaked Rosé 100% Pinot Gris

Oaked Rosé 100% Pinot Gris

Unoaked Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

Oaked Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

Unoaked Rosé Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

About the competition