After Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio is the second-most popular white wine variety in the United States. When it was first introduced in 1979, its simple, refreshing style succeeded as an uncomplicated alternative to full-bodied, buttery whites — the type that coined the infamous acronym ABC (Anything But Chardonnay).
While the grape thrives in American regions such as Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, it truly shines in Italian regions like Friuli, Alto Adige, and Veneto, where producers put forth light-bodied wines defined by vibrant fruit notes. Several other notable Pinot Grigio producers are located in Alsace, France, where Pinot Grigio — or Pinot Gris, as it’s known in the country — tends to be richer and slightly less sweet than its Italian counterpart.
With so much Pinot Grigio on the market, Wine-Searcher identified the most popular bottles in the world based on users’ search frequency data. Despite the grape’s popularity stateside, there are no American brands that crack the top 10, with all of the list’s bottles hailing from Italy and France.
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Check out the world’s 10 most searched-for Pinot Grigios on the Wine-Searcher platform below.
Produced in the Venezia Giulia IGT, Gravner Sivi Anfora Pinot Grigio is one of the most sought-out — and expensive — Pinot Grigios from the region. The 14.5-percent ABV wine is defined by damp, leafy forest floor notes, along with a sherbet edge and a crispy, mineral finish. Average Score: 95, Average Price: $174.
The Trimbach family has been producing wine in Alsace for three centuries, with its ownership of the winery spanning 13 generations. Opening with freshly sliced, ripe pear peel on the nose, F.E. Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve delivers green pear on the palate accompanied by a dry minerality on the finish. Average Score: 89, Average Price: $28.
Hailing from Friuli Isonzo, situated in the southeast corner of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Vie di Romans Dessimis Pinot Grigio offers a fruity punch to the palate. The wine, which sits between 13.2 and 14.9 percent ABV depending on vintage, is aged on the lees and spotlights notes of strawberries, cherry, peach, and crisp apples with whispers of flowers and mint. Average Score: 91, Average Price: $36.
Conveying aromas of banana, yellow peach, honeycomb, and melon, Jermann Pinot Grigio is one of the most searched-for wines from Italy’s Venezia Giulia IGT. A similar palate follows the nose, balanced by a crisp, fresh mouthfeel and bright acidity. Average Score: 90, Average Price: $25.
Produced from fruit grown in Alsace’s Clos Windsbuhl subregion, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht has been making Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl since 1988. The wine offers aromas of ripe pear before giving way to a textured palate teeming with candied lemon peel and ginger. Average Score: 92, Average Price: $61.
Affordable and exceedingly popular, Zenato’s Pinot Grigio is bottled between 12 and 12.5 percent ABV. The wine is juicy and bright, and washes the palate with flavors like candied lemon, pear drops, green apple, and florals. Average Score: 86, Average Price: $13.
Not only is Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Valdadige one of the world’s most sought-after Pinot Grigios, but it’s also the most searched-for wine of any varietal produced in the Valdadige-Etschtaler region. Distinct from the winery’s Alto Adige expression, this Pinot Grigio provides crisp citrus, passion fruit, and white stone fruit flavors. Average Score: 87, Average Price: $25.
Livio Felluga is a family-run winery located in the Colli Orientali del Friuli subregion of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The winery is known for its white wines, the most famous of which is its Pinot Grigio. It’s defined by tropical fruit flavors undercut with a hint of cinnamon and vertical acidity. Average Score: 89, Average Price: $29.
Slightly more popular than its Valdadige counterpart, Santa Margherita’s Alto Adige Pinot Grigio has been increasing in popularity year-over-year. With aromas of floral bouquets, pear, and citrus, the 12-percent ABV wine is crisp, dry, and refreshing. Average Score: 86, Average Price: $26.
Made with fruit sourced from one of Alsace’s grand cru vineyards, Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain may be one of the more affordable wines from the region, but remains on the pricier end when it comes to Pinot Grigios overall. The palate provides ample juicy fruit, with notes of lemon peel and ripe pear balanced by a gentle smokiness. Average Score: 93, Average Price: $87.
