What is Pinot Grigio?
Pinot Grigio is a white wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Crisp northern Italian white with citrus, pear and light body. Typical flavours include lemon, pear, apple, clean mineral finish.
Veneto, Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige
Pinot Grigio
Fresh White · 11.5-13%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Pinot Grigio is commonly associated with Pinot Grigio. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Veneto, Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige.
Veneto, Friuli, Trentino-Alto Adige
Italy
What does Pinot Grigio pair well with?
Pair Pinot Grigio by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with shellfish, salt cod, light seafood pasta. It is usually less successful with rich ragù.
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Pinot Grigio?
A good Pinot Grigio should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium-high, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually light, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Pinot Grigio can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Pinot Grigio, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include Italy.
Serve Pinot Grigio at around 7-9°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
