Great Grey, Green, Gris-y Grigio: Australia’s Top 20 Pinot Gris wines

Pinot gris is the grape critics love to hate. Well, certainly one venerable old critic, who despises the variety as an “empty vessel” compared with more deserving rivals such as semillon or Riesling.

But there’s a lot to like about pinot noir’s more down-to-earth cousin. For one thing, its versatility makes it an easy match for just about any type of food. Styled as a pinot grigio, it’s a fresh and lively but uncomplicated wine with faint mineral characteristics. Gris versions tend to the denser end of the spectrum with rich textures and hints of oily fruit.

But for all its attractions, one sometimes wonders if pinot gris’ main advantage is simply that it isn’t sauvignon blanc, riesling or chardonnay. It could well be that drinkers turn to pinot gris when they’re seeking temporary shelter from the heavy hitters of the white wine aisles.

Whatever the answer, sales of pinot’s grey-skinned variant have risen sharply over the past decade. It was Australia’s sixth largest grape by production in 2016 and commanded the second-highest selling price per tonne for white grapes after riesling. Pinot gris might be the poor cousin to the mighty noir but it’s becoming a firm favourite with Australian drinkers.

Pinot Gris should be drunk fresh so here’s our interim list of Australia’s Top 20 Pinot Gris wines on sale right now: 

1	Nepenthe Altitude Pinot Gris 2016
2	Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio 2017
3	DeBortoli La Bossa Pinot Grigio 2017
4	Peter Lehmann Wines Hill & Valley Pinot Gris 2016
5	Norfolk Rise Pinot Grigio 2017
6	Trentham Estate Pinot Gris 2017
7	Trentvale Frog Belly Pinot Grigio 2017
8	Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017
9	La La Land Pinot Gris 2016
10	Azahara Pinot Grigio 2016
11	Climbing Pinot Gris 2017
12	Montalto “Pennon Hill” Pinot Grigio 2017
13	Smith & Hooper Pinot Grigio 2017
14	Torlesse Pinot Gris 2017
14	Ceres Swansong Pinot Gris 2017
14	Mud House Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017
14	Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Gris  2017
14	Whitehaven Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017
19	Chain of Ponds Amelia’s Letter Pinot Grigio 2017
20	Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris 2017

 

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