World’s best Pinot Gris: 35 top wines
Decanter’s experts from around the world nominated the best Pinot Gris or best Pinot Grigio in their respective regions. Then we asked Andrew Jefford to taste them all and select his favourite 35 wines.
Pinot Noir, one of the most genetically influential grape varieties, mutates easily. The pink-berried Pinot Gris is one such mutation, first recorded in the early 18th century. It’s a true international.
We mainly know it under its name in Alsace, Pinot Gris, or as the Italian Pinot Grigio, but it’s Pinot Beurot in Burgundy (where it’s a minor rival to Chardonnay), Ruländer or Grauer Burgunder in Germany and Austria, and Szürkebarát in Hungary.
Italy, not France, has the largest plantings (6,600ha and rising, compared to the French total of 2,617ha*); California, too, has almost twice as much as France (5,223ha), followed closely by Germany (4,481ha). Even Australia’s total exceeds that of France (2,836ha). Hungary (1,522ha), New Zealand (1,501ha) and Oregon (1,107ha) are all major sources.
Our tasting was similarly international, with wines from 11 different nations. France’s Alsace was the clear winner, with eight out of the nine top-scoring wines. For all that, Pinot Gris is only Alsace’s third most-planted grape variety (after Riesling and Gewurztraminer). Beyond Alsace, New Zealand is looking like the country whose growing conditions are best suited to Pinot Gris.
Within Italy, it is the northeastern mountain lands of Alto Adige and border hills of Collio that seem to craft the finest wines, rather than the fertile plains of Friuli and the Veneto.
That’s for a palate like mine, of course, which relishes character and challenge. Soft-contoured white wines of easy-going neutrality are extremely popular too, though, and it is these on which Italian planting supremacy is based.
Sugar levels varied between dry and 61g/l, and in most cases the alcohol levels were 13.5% or more (only 18 wines out of the 72 submissions had an alcohol level of 13% or less).
We don’t generally scrutinise acidity levels, but those of Pinot Gris tend to be low. There is, in other words, a necessary richness of style to low-cropping, ambitiously made Pinot Gris. I see no point in repressing this. That’s not to say, of course, that the wine need be torpid or unbalanced.
The wines I most enjoyed varied in style from unctuous and voluptuous to aerial and stony; what they all had in common was allusive force, naturalness of articulation and the innate, often perfumed sensual exuberance which the variety always exhibits at its best. When these qualities are tightly gathered around a heady, vinous core, the balance can be perfect, even if the acidity is low.
Pinot Gris of this sort is a wonderful food wine with almost limitless matching possibilities, providing you are informed about sugar levels: a long-term Alsace failing that new labelling legislation should address.
Jefford’s favourite 35 Pinot Gris wines:
*These figures, taken from Wine Grapes by Robinson, Harding and Vouillamoz, are based on pre-2010 data, so totals are now likely to be higher for all areas
Domaine Rieflé-Landmann, Pinot Gris, Grand Cru Steinert, Alsace, France, 2015
Sweetly fresh, with lemon verbena, cut hay and blossom to lift the orchard fruits: compelling enchantment. In the mouth, it's dense, stony and long with...
2015
Domaine Rieflé-LandmannGrand Cru Steinert
Rieffel, La Colline aux Escargots Pinot Gris, Kirchberg de Barr, Grand Cru, Alsace, France, 2015
Full yet fresh aromas: apple, grape, pear and apricot fruit, with an edge of cindery darkness. Astonishing mineral energy and fruited drama on the palate....
2015
RieffelKirchberg de Barr
Greystone, Sand Dollar, Pinot Gris, Canterbury, New Zealand, 2016
Sappy, stony hints over quiet oak; a limey warmth behind. Deep and pure, with apple and lime richness, a minty freshness and a lick of...
2016
Greystone
Muré - Domaine du Clos St Landelin, Pinot Gris, Lutzeltal, Alsace, France, 2015
Pure hedonism: luscious vanilla and crème anglaise, with a honeyed tang. Alluring scents and classic Pinot Gris appeal. This is a sweet wine (34g/l). Not...
2015
Muré - Domaine du Clos St LandelinLutzeltal
Cave de Beblenheim, Pinot Gris, Sonnenglanz, Grand Cru, Alsace, France, 2015
Graceful and delicate, with beautifully defined scents of freesias and smoky mango. Intriguing and compelling. There's 29g/l of sugar, but it remains light and graceful,...
2015
Cave de BeblenheimSonnenglanz
Domaine Barmès-Buecher, Pinot Gris, Rosenberg, Alsace, France, 2015
Soft, luscious and smoky-rich: Pinot Gris as many of us know it and love it. Great poise and finesse, with fine spices, honey and cream....
2015
Domaine Barmès-BuecherRosenberg
Domaine Loew, Pinot Gris, Engelberg, Grand Cru, Alsace, France, 2016
Poised and lively aromas with floral intricacy. A closely woven Pinot Gris in which all the exoticism of the variety has been distilled down into...
2016
Domaine LoewEngelberg
Domaine Ostertag, Pinot Gris, Fronholz, Alsace, France, 2015
Pear, walnuts and white chocolate. Fine scents with aromatic layering; oak doesn't dominate. Fresh and lively palate, with the oak more apparent, as it rounds...
2015
Domaine OstertagFronholz
Domaine Paul Blanck, Pinot Gris, Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Alsace, France, 2010
Seductive aromas of cream, honey and apricot pastry. Remarkable acidity for a Pinot Gris, giving the palate a head-turning energy as well as the allusive...
2010
Domaine Paul BlanckGrand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg
Domaine Paul Blanck, Pinot Gris, Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Alsace, France, 2015
Compelling aromas; an exciting mix of apple, tangerine and mango. The dry palate comes as a surprise, showing how terroir and varietal exuberance can flourish...
2015
Domaine Paul BlanckGrand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg
Josmeyer, Fondation Pinot Gris, Alsace, France, 2011
Fascinating stony pungency here; but also crushed root spices; the dark mellowness of age. That's exactly what you find on the palate: different flavour nuances,...
2011
Josmeyer
Mount Riley, Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2016
Supple fruit aromas: grapefruit, orange and apple. Bravo for the aromatic focus; real enchantment. Vivid palate, with ample fruit definition; the allusions are the same...
2016
Mount Riley
Nals Margreid, Punggl Pinot Grigio, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2016
92
Pure orchard freshness. The palate is lively and graceful, with pristine apple and pear fruit. The wine has a delicious creamy seamlessness to it, and the brisk stony finish typical of Sudtirol, too. Impeccable.
2016
Nals Margreid
Robert Princic, Gradis' Ciutta, Collio, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2016
Sappy, fresh and vinous nose, with some pear and greengage. A skilfully vinified white, with cream, fruit and stone notes woven seamlessly together, showing great...
2016
Robert PrincicCollio
St. Michael-Eppan, Anger, Pinot Grigio, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2016
Very pale gold colour, almost green-hued. Slender, fresh and almost neutral, but with an attractive presence nonetheless, like a glass of birch sap. Soft, graceful...
2016
St. Michael-Eppan
Trimbach, Réserve Personnelle, Pinot Gris, Alsace, France, 2012
92
Light medium-gold colour. Very complex aromas on the nose: not just the rich orchard fruits, but also meadowsweet, hay and lemon verbena hints. The extra age has paid great dividends in terms of aromatic nuance. Harmonious, sweet, full, supple, spicy and warm on the palate, and at perfect maturity now. A polyvalent Pinot Gris to enjoy both on its own and with richer foods.
2012
Trimbach
Bodega Piedra Negra, Alta Colección Pinot Gris, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, 2017
Fresh and pretty, with enticing orchard and tangerine fruit. Clean, fresh and delicate, sketching out all of the notes the aromas promised. A successful wine...
2017
Bodega Piedra NegraUco Valley
Colterenzio, Puiten, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2016
Soft and sweetly biscuity scents, with a hint of pear and quince behind. A lively, warm and nourishing style. Misty apple, pear and quince flavours....
2016
Colterenzio
Domaine Pfister, Pinot Gris Tradition, Alsace, France, 2015
Pale white to green gold colour. Round and fruity: apple, grape and greengage. Fresh, bright, elegant, lifted and generally dry in style, with lots of...
2015
Domaine Pfister
Valentin Zusslin, Pinot Gris, Bollenberg, Alsace, France, 2015
Pale to mid-gold. Sweet, poised liqueur fruits, nuts and nougat, with a very faint smokiness. Subtle, fine aromas which both entice and satisfy. The perfect...
2015
Valentin ZusslinBollenberg
Edi Simčič, Goriška Brda, Goriska Brda, Slovenia, 2015
Very characterful and developed, hence wildly different from its peers. Hyacinth bulbs, cheese and bacon: unusual aromas and some of the true Brda style. The...
2015
Edi SimčičGoriška Brda
Lis Neris, Gris, Friuli, Isonzo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2015
A fine example of this rather exploited variety. This has great finesse, concentration and a great balance. Fruit characters of ripe apple, pear drop, quince...
2015
Lis NerisFriuli
Lo Triolet di Marco Martin, Pinot Gris, Valle d’Aosta, Italy, 2016
Pale gold colour. Delicate, shy and sweet-edged scents: like woodland blossoms in spring. Fresh, lively and enticing style. After the teasing sweetness of the aromas,...
2016
Lo Triolet di Marco Martin
Muzic, Collio, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, 2016
91
Pale gold. Firm, chunky fruits here, with a little rogue pineapple in among the pear, quince and apple. A more exuberantly fruity Pinot Gris than most of its Collio peers, this generous quince and peach white has an attractive salty lick to it, and sits nicely in the centre ground between the Grigio and Gris styles. Super stuff.
2016
MuzicCollio
Seresin Estate, Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2016
Bright, clean pale gold in colour. Clean, sappy, fresh and vinous nose, with a little oak thickening. Lovely fine-drawn, tapered and vivacious pear and quince...
2016
Seresin Estate
Cantina Valle Isarco, Aristos, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2016
Pale gold colour. Sappy, fresh and appetising with a quickness and an almost lemony urgency to the scents - something that was missing in many...
2016
Cantina Valle Isarco
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Rotenberg, Alsace, France, 2014
Clear, bright gold in colour. Sweet, fresh, limpid fruits on the nose - apple, pear, grape - and an angelica note as well. On the...
2014
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Florian & Mathilde, Beck-Hartweg, Grand Cru Frankstein, Alsace, France, 2015
Rooty, spicy, earthy scents are unusual and characterful. On the palate, it's a fresh and lively wine with some unusual spice notes (fenugreek and turmeric)...
2015
Florian & MathildeGrand Cru Frankstein
Moltès, Petits Grains, Alsace, France, 2016
Pale steel-gold. Apple-fresh scents are bright and lively. A lovely cascade of orchard fruit and blossoms here. Very sweet (30g/l) yet very primary in style,...
2016
Moltès
Moorooduc Estate, On Skins, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, 2016
90
Deeply fruity, like plum compote: lots of skin-contact here. A little bit aggressive and rasping on the palate, but the style is a fascinating one in its depth and exuberance; you'll even find some tannins. Very clean, with no deviant notes. Serve chilled but drink as a red, like a red Sancerre. Would you guess it was Pinot Gris? I'm not sure.
2016
Moorooduc EstateMornington Peninsula
Quealy, Pinot Grigio, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, 2016
Pale green gold in colour. Very good aromas here: light and fine, with lots of aromatic finesse, showing serene orchard fruits and a creamy softness....
2016
QuealyMornington Peninsula
Cantina Terlano, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, 2016
90
Pale gold in colour. Sappy and a little green on the nose, but very discreet aromatics, like snowdrops peeping from the snow. Very clean and pristine. A fresh, lively and elegant style of Pinot Grigio, with marrow, and length, ending with a stony-clean finish: the true mountain style.
2016
Cantina Terlano
Tilia Estate, Vipavska Dolina, Slovenia, 2016
Pale gold with some gas beading. This wine has the waxy freshness which is the hallmark of oaked Pinot Grigio from this Adriatic zone; it’s...
2016
Tilia Estate
Vieni, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, 2016
Taut, restrained and appley, but aromatically fine-grained and appealing. Elegant, fresh, almost Riesling-esque here. Zesty, spritzy, clean, crunchy, crisp and cool - a character that...
2016
VieniNiagara Peninsula
King Estate Winery, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA, 2016
Steel white colour. Sweet, but not exactly fruity; it's the sweetness of clean upholstery and freshly unpacked electronic devices, with some sappiness and a little...
2016
King Estate WineryWillamette Valley
