Pier Giorgio’s Favorite Wines
Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris
The Two-sided Aristocrat
Meet Pier Giorgio, Princess Nora’s cousin. He was born in Burgundy, France, but he moved to Italy years ago and adopted an Italian name for himself. Depending on where you catch him, he’s basically two different people.
Relaxed and carefree when he’s home in Italy, but more sophisticated when he’s back in France, where his royal heritage catches up with him. He prefers colder weather, dresses elegantly in gold and yellow, and treasures his time alone.
In wine terms? Pier Giorgio is Pinot Grigio, or as the French call it, Pinot Gris. It’s the exact same grape, but it produces two genuinely different styles of wine depending on where it’s grown and how it’s made.
Pinot Gris is a color mutation of Pinot Noir. Gris means grey, as the grapes have a pinkish-gray hue, which is unusual for a white wine variety.
In Italy, it’s usually made totally dry with bright, crisp acidity and flavors of lime, lemon, green apple, and pear. In France, especially in Alsace, it’s made in a fuller, richer style with flavors of ripe peach, nectarine, honey and spice. Either way, expect medium-high acidity and a light-to-medium body.
France is the birthplace of this grape, but Italy is now the world’s largest producer, where its reputation for easy, everyday drinking came from. You’ll also find good Pinot Gris from Germany, US, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The winemakers label it as either Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris to indicate the style it’s made in. It’s almost always bottled on its own rather than blended. Some winemakers let it sit on its skins for a few days for extra color and texture, more on that below.
Now let’s find you some bottles he’d actually approve of.
Pier Giorgio’s Top Picks
We picked bottles from Pier Giorgio’s homeland and beyond. All available on Pop Up Wine Singapore and Straits Wine Singapore. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a casual weeknight
Pasqua : Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Capitolo DOC 2025
Veneto, Italy | $39 / bottle
Pier Giorgio says: "Pasqua just celebrated its 100th year making wine in Verona, and this is classic, easygoing Pinot Grigio: dry, crisp, and full of lime and green apple. This is basically what I pour myself on an ordinary Tuesday in Italy."
Pairs with: Light pasta, seafood, or a simple salad
2. Great value-for-money
Pikes : Pinot Grigio “Luccio” 2024
Clare Valley, Australia | $43 / bottle
Pier Giorgio says: "Refreshingly crisp green apple, pear, and tangy citrus, with some floral notes. Earlier vintages scored 94 points from Wine Pilot and 90 from The Real Review, and Pikes is a five star winery in the Halliday Wine Companion. That's the kind of quality you'd expect from a bottle twice the price."
Pairs with: Grilled fish, light Asian dishes, or a cheese board
3. Something different at a dinner party
Stellenbosch, South Africa | $49 / bottle
Pier Giorgio says: "This is not your average Pinot Gris. Craven leaves the skins in contact with the juice for six days before pressing, which gives it a copper color and flavors of strawberry, cherry and herbs that you will not find in a typical bottle. Gismondi on Wine gave it 91 points. Pour this one when you want people talking."
Pairs with: Charcuterie, roast vegetables, or aged cheeses
4. For a special occasion
Amisfield : Pinot Gris 2023 (Organic)
Central Otago, New Zealand | $63 / bottle
Pier Giorgio says: "Amisfield was named New Zealand's Organic Winery of the Year, and this bottle shows why: apple, pear, quince, and a touch of spice. The 2022 vintage was rated 90 points by Bob Campbell and awarded Silver at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards. A proper bottle for a proper night."
Pairs with: Roast chicken, roast pork, or creamy pasta
Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris Cheat Sheet
| Body | Light (Italian style) to full-bodied (French/Alsace style) |
| Color | Pale straw to golden yellow |
| Tasting notes | Lime, lemon, green apple, and pear (Italian style); ripe peach, nectarine, honey and spice (French/Alsace style) |
| Serve at | 7–12°C |
| Best with | Seafood, salads, roast chicken, or roast pork, depending on style |
| Avoid with | Very spicy dishes or rich red-meat dishes, which overwhelm its delicate character |
| Glass type | White wine glass with a smaller bowl, to keep it crisp and cool |
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