Pinot Gris Vs Pinot Grigio: 5 Major Differences, 10 Best Bottles in 2024

Pinot Gris Vs Pinot Grigio: which one is better suited for your next brunch?

Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape variety. The main difference is the region they’re grown in. 

While the Pinot Gris grape is the star of France, Pinot Grigio is what the grape is called in northern Italy. It’s the terroir of these regions that influence their characteristics.

Let’s look at the five main differences between the two grapes, including their origins, major wine regions and styles, tasting notes, and food pairings. We’ll also explore the top 5 Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wine bottles to buy in 2024.

Pinot Gris Vs Pinot Grigio: 5 Key Differences 

Here are five ways you can distinguish between the Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio grape varieties:

• Origin
• Major Wine Regions
• Wine Styles
• Tasting Notes
• Food Pairing

1. Origin

The Pinot Gris grape variety originated in France from the Burgundian Pinot family and is believed to be a mutation of Pinot Noir. It’s primarily cultivated in the Alsace region in France.

When it reached Italy around the 1300s, this variety became known as Pinot Grigio and is widely grown in Alto Adige in northeastern Italy.

2. Major Wine Regions

In Alsace, you can also find botrytis-affected, late harvest Pinot Gris styles like the Vendages Tardives (VT) and a rare Sélection de Grains Noble (SGN.)

The Pinot Gris grape is also used in the Champagne blend (along with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.) 

Some other wine regions like Oregon and New Zealand also produce more complex Pinot Gris style wines.

Pinot Grigio is majorly produced in the Alto Adige wine region of Italy. Italian Pinot Grigio style wines are also made in California, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and Austria.

Let’s take a look at the wine styles.

3. Wine Styles

Here are the general wine styles of these wines.

• Alsatian Pinot Gris wines are rich, full-bodied and have a higher alcohol content. They’re made from fully ripe grapes and the occasional use of barrel fermentation adds extra sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel.
• The Italian Pinot Grigio grape is harvested early and results in light-bodied, crisper, and low alcohol wines. They have a fresh stone fruit and floral aroma.

A different style worth mentioning is the American Pinot Grigio. It has a more exaggerated fruit flavor and a significantly lower acidity than its European versions.

Typically both Pinot Gris and Grigio wines are made to be drunk young. But, interestingly, off-dry versions of Pinot Gris can age for 10+ years.

4. Tasting Notes

Pinot Gris wine showcases an array of unique, complex flavors like spicy cinnamon, and lemon, with a tingly aftertaste. Late harvest French style Pinot Gris is a treat for sweet wine lovers, thanks to its faint honey undertone resulting from the noble rot.

Pinot Grigio is generally characterized by a fruity flavor of pear, apple, lime, lemon, and a refreshing spark of acidity. Some Italian style Grigio wines also display a floral aroma of honeysuckle.

5. Food Pairing

The richness of the Pinot Gris style makes it a suitable pair for roast pork, creamy pasta, and hard cheeses.

The lighter Pinot Grigio makes a perfect apéritif, or you can serve it with grilled shrimp, salads, or fruit plates.

Now that you know how to tell one style from the other, let’s dive into the best wines of each style.

Top 5 Pinot Gris Wines To Buy in 2024

Here are some of the best Pinot Gris grape wines:

• 2008 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence de Grains Nobles, France
• 2005 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg Turckheim Selection de Grains Nobles, France
• 2008 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rotenberg Selection de Grains Nobles, France
• 2015 Greywacke Pinot Gris, New Zealand
• 2019 Enderle & Moll Grauburgunder, Germany

1. 2008 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence de Grains Nobles, France ($602)

This Alsace Pinot Gris wine bursts with sweet honey, floral, and citrus flavors balanced wonderfully by searing acidity.

2. 2005 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg Turckheim Selection de Grains Nobles, France ($144)

Another Alsace white wine, this dessert wine displays noble rot through distinct apricot, honeysuckle, and orange marmalade notes. It has a long finish and medium acidity.

3. 2008 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rotenberg Selection de Grains Nobles, France ($136)

This medium-bodied Alsatian Pinot Gris comes with a nose of peach, honey, and apricot, while the palate boasts dried fruit and ginger with a lingering yellow plum finish.

4. 2015 Greywacke Pinot Gris, New Zealand ($32)

This white wine is full of peach, pear, lemon, honey, and nectarine aromas with a well-rounded palate.

5. 2019 Enderle & Moll Grauburgunder, Germany ($24)

This Pinot Gris wine from Baden displays apple, peach, dried herbs, and honey notes with light tannins and a spicy aftertaste.

Top 5 Pinot Grigio Wines To Buy in 2024

And these are the top Pinot Grigio wines that you need to try:

• 2001 Gravner Anfora Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT, Italy
• 2016 Foradori 'Fuoripista' Pinot Grigio Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Italy
• 2013 Klinec Gardelin, Slovenia
• 2017 Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Pinot Grigio, USA
• 2019 Jacob's Creek Classic Pinot Grigio, Australia

1. 2001 Gravner Anfora Pinot Grigio Venezia Giulia IGT, Italy ($183)

This Italian Pinot Grigio showcases a dense aroma of walnuts, caramel, and coffee. This full-bodied wine has a slightly bitter orange-rind aftertaste.

2. 2016 Foradori 'Fuoripista' Pinot Grigio Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Italy ($47)

This Pinot Grigio wine from the Alto Adige region has a sophisticated bouquet of strawberry, grapefruit, and apple. It’s a medium-bodied wine with fresh acidity and soft tannins.

3. 2013 Klinec Gardelin, Slovenia ($32)

This medium-bodied wine from Slovenia displays a pronounced nose of field flowers, roses, and tart red berries, while the palate offers a stone fruit and mineral flavor.

4. 2017 Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Pinot Grigio, USA ($10)

This Californian Pinot Grigio portrays green apple and pear aromas and a nicely balanced dry, acidic palate with a touch of sweetness from apricot and peach. 

5. 2019 Jacob's Creek Classic Pinot Grigio, Australia ($6)

This Australian white wine has a dominant citrus aroma on the nose and apples and tropical fruit on the palate.  

These tantalizing flavors make Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines worthy of your wine cellar.

But what if you want to add some of the more expensive Pinot Noirs or Bordeaux First Growths to your portfolio?

You can easily do it through a wine investment platform like Vinovest!

Invest in Collectible Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio Through Vinovest

Vinovest is an AI-based wine investment platform that lets you buy, store, and sell fine wines from around the world. This website helps you add investment-grade wines from France, New York, Las Vegas, and all over the world to your portfolio.

So, what are its benefits?

Vinovest stores your wine bottles in bonded warehouses without charging any VAT or excise duty. It only charges you a nominal annual fee of 2.5% (1.9% for portfolios above $50,000), including charges for storage, insurance, fraud detection, and portfolio management.

Besides if you’re looking for some wine investment advice, you can always approach Vinovest’s expert sommelier team.

Get Yourself a Pinot Gris or a Pinot Grigio (Or Both!)

A rich Pinot Gris or a lighter Pinot Grigio - both offer a delightful experience for any wine enthusiast, especially when paired with the right kind of food. 

So, go ahead and get the best Pinot Grigio or an Alsace Pinot Gris for your next party.

Now, if you’re also keen on building a portfolio of age-worthy, investment-grade wines, you can do it with Vinovest.

Sign up with Vinovest and start building your profitable wine portfolio today!