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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

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Cramele Recas Wildflower Pinot Grigio Recas Romania 2023 Gold
Cantine Vitevis Gordon Ramsay DOC delle Venezie Veneto Italy 2023 Gold
La Marca Vini e Spumanti Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC Veneto Italy 2023 Silver
Mezzacorona Forte Alto Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy 2023 Silver
Mezzacorona Domenica Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy 2023 Silver
Mezzacorona Castel Firmian Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy 2023 Silver
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Taylors Promised Land Pinot Grigio South Australia Australia 2023 Silver
De Bortoli Wines Winemakers Selection Pinot Grigio Riverina Australia 2023 Silver
De Bortoli Wines 17 Trees Pinot Grigio Riverina Australia 2023 Silver
Graffigna Genuine Collection Pinot Grigio Mendoza Argentina 2023 Silver
A Lassonde, Arista Wines Division Stefano Pinot Grigio Sicily Italy 2022 Bronze
I Magredi Srl Pinot Grigio Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Bronze
A Lassonde, Arista Wines Division Friolento Pinot Grigio Sicily Italy 2022 Bronze
Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio Trentino Italy 2023 Bronze
Cramele Recas Calusari Pinot Grigio Recas Romania 2023 Bronze
Cramele Recas Sanziana Pinot Grigio Recas Romania 2023 Bronze
Cramele Recas Sorcova Pinot Grigio Recas Romania 2023 Bronze
Cramele Recas Paparuda Pinot Grigio Recas Romania 2023 Bronze
Enoitalia – Voga Italia Voga DOC Veneto Italy 2023 Bronze
£10-£15
Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Pinot Gris Marlborough New Zealand 2022 Gold
Marisco Vineyards Leefield Station Pinot Gris Marlborough New Zealand 2023 Silver
Cantina La Vis Pinot Grigio Trentino DOC “I Classici” Trentino Italy 2023 Silver
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Taylors Estate Pinot Gris Clare Valley Australia 2023 Silver
Cecilia Beretta Luna Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC Veneto Italy 2023 Silver
Albino Armani Pinot Grigio Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Silver
Corte Giara Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC Veneto Italy 2023 Bronze
Ruffino Aqua di Venus Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2022 Bronze
Solo Roberto Solo Roberto Pinot Grigio Friuli Grave DOC Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Bronze
£15-£20
Antonutti Pinot Grigio Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Gold
Nals Margreid Hill Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Italy 2023 Gold
Franz Haas Pinot Grigio Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Alto Adige Italy 2023 Gold
Ca’Bolani Pinot Grigio Friuli DOC Aquileia Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Gold
Tiki Wine & Vineyards Single Vineyard Pinot Gris North Canterbury New Zealand 2022 Silver
Kris Winery Pinot Grigio DOC delle Venezie Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Silver
Trinity Oaks Pinot Grigio California USA 2022 Silver
De Bortoli Wines Blue Gris King Valley Australia 2023 Silver
Joel Gott Wines Oregon Pinot Gris Willamette Valley USA 2022 Silver
Albino Armani Colle Ara Veneto Italy 2023 Silver
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Aromantiques Pinot Gris Clare Valley Australia 2023 Silver
Weingut Seckinger R Pinot Gris Pure Palatinate Germany 2020 Silver
Cavit Rulendis Pinot Grigio Trentino Superiore DOC Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2022 Bronze
£20-£30
Calancombe Estate Pinot Gris Devon UK 2022 Silver
Calancombe Estate Pinot Gris Devon UK 2023 Silver

 

Oaked Pinot Gris

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Mezzacorona Premium Collection Pinot Grigio Riserva Trentino Italy 2022 Silver
Mezzacorona Castel Firmian Pinot Grigio Riserva Trentino Italy 2022 Bronze
£10-£15
Domaines Tatin Reuilly Gris Les Demoiselles Tatin Loire France 2022 Silver
£15-£20
Domaine de Reuilly Les Chatillons Reuilly France 2023 Bronze
£20-£30
Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris Central Otago New Zealand 2021 Master
Mezzacorona Musivum Pinot Grigio Superiore Trentino Italy 2018 Gold
Nals Margreid Punggl Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Italy 2022 Gold
Domaine de Reuilly Les Fossiles Reuilly France 2023 Gold
Cantina Kaltern Soll Pinot Grigio DOC Alto Adige Italy 2023 Gold
£30-£50
La Roncaia La Roncaia Pino Grigo DOC Friuli Colli Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2022 Gold

Unoaked Rosé 100% Pinot Gris

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Salcuta NJOY Pinot Grigio Blush Stefan Voda Moldova 2023 Silver
Mezzacorona Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio Rosé Trentino Italy 2023 Silver
Mezzacorona Castel Firmian Fildirose Pinot Grigio Rosé Trentino Italy 2023 Bronze
£15-£20
Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2023 Silver
Joseph Mellot Reuilly Rosé Loire France 2023 Silver

Oaked Rosé 100% Pinot Gris

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
£30-£50
Vie di Romans Friuli Isonzo Dessimis Friuli-Venezia Giulia Italy 2022 Master

Unoaked Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Bieler Family Wines Daisy Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley USA 2023 Bronze
Cavit Mastri Vernacoli Pinot Grigio Trentino DOC Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2023 Bronze
Cavit Terrazze della Luna Pinot Grigio Trentino DOC Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2023 Bronze
£10-£15
Cavit Bottega Vinai Pinot Grigio Trentino DOC Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2023 Silver
SeaGlass Wine Co. SeaGlass Pinot Grigio Central Coast USA 2022 Silver
Marisco Vineyards The Ned Pinot Grigio Marlborough New Zealand 2023 Bronze

 

Oaked Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Ménage à Trois Wines Limelight Pinot Grigio California USA 2021 Gold
£10-£15
Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris Victoria Australia 2023 Silver

Unoaked Rosé Blend (minimum 50% Pinot Gris)

Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal
Under £10
Salcuta Eno Noble Rosé Stefan Voda Moldova 2023 Gold
Cavit Terrazze della Luna Pinot Grigio Rosato IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2023 Silver
Cavit Mastri Vernacoli Pinot Grigio Rosato IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti Trentino-Alto Adige Italy 2023 Silver

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Pinot Gris Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2024 competition was judged on 11 June at Rotunda in London, employing experienced judges. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Pinot Gris Master. This report features the medal winners only. Please visit the Global Masters website for more information or, to enter future competitions – giving you the chance to feature online and in print – please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

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