We have 30 pinot grigios and pinot gris to suit every budget.
What if we told you that pinot gris and pinot grigio are the same grape? It’s true. In fact, it’s a mutation of pinot noir (trivia!). ‘Gris’ and ‘grigio’ translate to ‘grey’ in French and Italian, respectively. So, if they’re the same, how do the two differ? It all comes down to the winemaking styles.
Pinot gris is the original, which originated in France’s Burgundy, but it now really belongs to Alsace in the north east. Gris is generally picked later, so the grapes are riper and sweeter. You can expect flavours of apple, pears and stone fruits like nectarine and peach, with a little cinnamon and vanilla.
Grigio – a style we can thank the Italians for – is often picked earlier, when the grapes are tart and crunchy, which means bright acidity (that mouth-watering feeling), and a wine that’s light and zesty. Flavours? Think green apple and citrus.
These days, pinot grigio and gris are made all over, including Australia. You’ll also find great examples made in the US, Germany, Hungary and New Zealand. Both styles are so food-friendly that you almost can’t go wrong with a pairing – they love seafood (including prawn and marinara pasta dishes), chicken, pork, cheeses like goat’s and gruyere, and anything with a bit of spice.
Keen to dive in? Below, we’ve rounded up the best pinot gris and grigios at Dan Murphy’s.
There is genuinely good pinot grigio and gris available for under $20, and Mullet Wines Hard Gris is no exception. In fact, it’s less than $15 (plus, you know we’re suckers for a good mullet). This gris has bright flavours of apple, pear and lemon rind, and then there’s the zippy acidity (that mouth-puckering feeling) that brings it all together. Delicious? Check. Food friendly? Check. Cheap as chips? Check.
If New Zealand gris is more your thing, then we think you’ll love the Isabel Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris. It’s on the drier side, smells of baked pear, red apple and jasmine, and it has flavours of nectarine, citrus and a little spice. Pair it with a wheel of brie, a good book and a sunny afternoon.
Okay, Alsace in France is loved for its riesling, but don’t sleep on its pinot gris (or the gewürztraminer, FYI) – especially the Dopff Au Moulin. You can expect flavours of lemon curd, peach, green apple, banana and honey. Interested? It’s $25 and the perfect BYO wine for your favourite dumping haunt.
You also can’t go wrong with a Tassie wine – chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, sparkling, the Apple Isle can do it all. And you know what else they can do? Really good gris. Take this one from Strelley Farm – it’s gold in the glass, with flavours of pear and stone fruits and a little spice. The team at Strelley Farm love it with kingfish drizzled with lime and olive oil.
Victoria is home to plenty of regions that produce great pinot gris as it loves a cool climate – think Macedon, Beechworth, the Mornington Peninsula and Geelong, which is where the Lethbridge Pinot Gris comes from. You can pick it up for just under $40, and it has flavours of red apples, pears, citrus, honey and spice.
Speaking of Victorian wineries and pinot gris, Scorpo on the Mornington Peninsula makes a winner, too. Expect flavours of pear, apricot and green apple with bright acidity. If you prefer to see this with a bit of funk, the X is a great choice, too.
