Top Ten Summer Pinot Grigios
Despite its popularity, Pinot Grigio doesn’t make into the Top Ten most planted grape varieties around the world. That top slot goes to Cabernet Sauvignon, with the most popular white grape being the unknown Airen – which just goes to show you can be at the top but no one has ever heard of you. But what of Pinot Grigio?
Of the almost 60 million litres of Pinot Grigio sold in the UK just over a third of that came from Italy, with the USA, Australia, Romania and New Zealand supplying much of the rest.
Which comes as a bit of a surprise as you’d be hard pressed to find a Pinot Grigio that wasn’t Italian in the supermarket wine aisles. Asda stands out in this respect with its Nice Drop £3.99 Chilean Pinot Grigio which comes in at number 8 in the WineUncorked Top Ten list and the Co-op’s German Kleine Kappelle at number 7. But there a few others that didn’t quite make it – look out for Australian McGuigan (£7.50, Co-op), Hungarian Campanula (£9.99, Laithwaites) and Californian Barefoot Pinot Grigio (£6, most supermarkets).
Where ever it comes from, Pinot Grigio’s light flavours of pear and lemon are a great match to the summer sun and just sitting with a glass of it in your hand. It matches well to lighter tasting foods like seafood linguine or picnic snacks, and is a great stand-by to have in your cupboard. So why not go out and get in a few bottles! The WineUncorked Top Ten list will help you find the best ones.
Wines recommended by www.wineuncorked.co.uk
Tesco Finest Pinot Grigio 2021
£7 Tesco
5*
You can buy other supermarket Italian Pinot Grigios at almost half the price but Tesco’s Finest delivers on its creamy apple and pear flavours with a lovely white rose aroma. The lemon ending tops it all off. A nice wine.
Casa Turano Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 2020
£6 Co-op
5*
Great bargain fruity and refreshing white wine that gets a top 5-star rating. Italian Pinot Grigio as you’d expect with light apple and pineapple flavours. A nice wine.
SPAR The Letter Collection Pinot Grigio 2020
£6.49 SPAR
4*
Simple and refreshing with lemon zing and balancing sweet pear flavours.
Il Papavero Pinot Grigio 2020
£10.99 Laithwaites
4*
A nice Italian Pinot Grigio with pear and fresh lemon zing with a touch of floral.
Zafferino Pinot Grigio 2020
£9.99 Virgin Wines
4*
A nice Italian Pinot Grigio that stands out from the rest as it actually some flavour – and tasty it is too. Tinned pears with apple and lemon peel.
Finca Las Moras Pinot Grigio
£7.25 Co-op
4*
A really nice white wine at a reasonable price. Refreshing fruit flavours of peach, pear and apricot make a warm-weather wine.
Kleine Kappelle Pinot Grigio 2018
£6 Co-op
4*
This light-yellow German example tastes and smells of apple and almond cake. There’s a slight spritz (fizz) to the wine.
Asda Nice Drop of Pinot Grigio 2021
£3.99 Asda
3*
This Chilean Pinot Grigio has the classic pear and apple flavours. Don’t drink this wine too cold as it will taste sharper than you might like. So leave out of the fridge for 20 minutes before drinking.
Caparelli Pinot Grigio
£4.50 Tesco
3*
A tasty and cheap Italian Pinot Grigio with a pear and apple sweetness that many will enjoy.
Ali di Api Pinot Grigio 2020
£9.99 Virgin Wines
3*
A simple and quaffable Italian Pinot Grigio with fresh pear and cut apple flavours plus a slightly nutty edge too.
The wineuncorked.co.uk wine rating system uses a maximum of 5 stars:
5* outstanding – the top rating given by wineuncorked.co.uk
4* very good wine
3* good wine but over priced
2* a disappointing wine
1* little to offer
0* avoid – pour down the drain
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Words Paula Goddard 2022 www.wineuncorked.co.uk
