The 9 Best Pinot Grigios For Beginners

As a WSET Level 3-certified wine writer, if I had to think of a perfect white wine for a total wine beginner, I'd probably choose pinot grigio. That's because it tends to have an incredibly accessible flavor profile, with a light crispness that often comes with notes of citrus and green apple. Although that can sometimes make pinot grigio feel unremarkable, it also makes it inoffensive — even those who aren't totally on board with wine yet are probably going to enjoy sipping on a glass of this wine. 

And for those who are looking to dig into something slightly more complex with a little extra weight, there's pinot gris. It's actually the same grape as pinot grigio, but this style hails from France instead of Italy, and it can sometimes see more residual sugar, which can make it seem fuller-bodied. Either direction you decide to go with the grape, though, you're going to be getting an easy-drinking wine that can be paired with so many different types of foods ... or enjoyed all on its own.

But if you're new to the world of pinot grigio, you may not really know where to start. That's why I'm digging into this selection of the best pinot grigios for beginners. These wines run the gamut from super cheap and accessible grocery store wines to more esoteric finds that'll help you realize just how versatile the grape can be. Let's take a closer look at these tasty bottles you'll want to drink on repeat.

If you ask me, the best place to buy wine is at a small, independent wine shop. This is where you're going to find more independent producers and smaller bottlings, and you'll often be met with more knowledgeable guidance about what to select. However, a lot of wine consumers are primarily buying their wines from grocery stores, so it only makes sense to start there for beginners. That's why Costco's Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio Friuli Grave is a great place to start. 

If you're just dipping your toe into what this kind of wine has to offer, this bottle is readily available at one of the most popular grocery retailers in the country, and it represents a pretty high level of quality for the price point. That's exactly why it ended up on Tasting Table's list of the five best white wines to buy at Costco. This wine comes from a cool Italian climate that lends itself to fresh, crisp flavors that pair well with just about any kind of lighter, more refreshing food. You might notice notes of melon, pear, and green apple, with a crispness that makes it taste surprisingly thirst quenching. 

The real appeal here, though, is the low price point. This makes it an accessible option for those who want to try a new type of wine, but who don't want to spend a ton of money on a bottle they might not end up actually enjoying.

Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio is yet another bottle that's ended up on a Tasting Table roundup of excellent pinot grigios, with this article specifically referencing varieties that come in at under $20 a bottle. Again, when you're exploring a new type of wine as a beginner, you generally don't want to spend a ton of money on a bottle, since you might not actually end up liking the grape that much. Even though this is an affordably priced pinot grigio, I still think it's a real step up from some of the dirt-cheap options on wine store shelves.

This wine hails from Tuscany and offers bold tropical fruit flavors that are just a bit more complex than what you might expect from a more basic pinot grigio. However, you're still getting the citrus-forward crispness that makes this grape so appealing to so many wine drinkers. When I've tried this wine, I've noticed really lovely peach flavors, as well as a slight floral quality that displays a surprising amount of complexity in every sip. It finishes off with a crisp minerality that makes it just as refreshing as I want this kind of wine to be. 

Plus, I've found that Banfi wines tend to be pretty widely available. So, you don't have to go far and wide just to get your hands on a bottle.

Now, we're leaving Italy and heading to France for this next pinot grigio — or, in this case, pinot gris. For those who are looking for something a bit more elevated and complex, Trimbach Pinot Gris Alsace Réserve is a great place to start on the pinot gris front. Reviewers mention notes of ripe pear peel, white flowers, and beeswax, the latter of which isn't uncommon in an Alsatian pinot gris — this is partially what gives the wine its fuller-bodied flavor that sets it apart from lighter Italian versions of the beverage.

This is still considered a dry wine, but with a bit of residual sugar, it has a nice expressiveness to it that'll leave sweeter wine lovers falling in love with it, as well. Although this is one of the pricier options on the list, I think it's a great bottle for those who are looking for an excellent example of pinot gris instead of the arguably easier-to-find pinot grigio. And if you think you're not a fan of this grape, this is a bottling that might just prove you wrong.

I had the chance to taste and rank Trader Joe's Charles Shaw line of wines (also known as two-buck chuck) for Tasting Table, and I was surprised to find that the pinot grigio came in the number two spot for me out of eight total wines. This is one of the cheapest wines of the bunch, but I think it punches above its weight. Admittedly, it doesn't offer a ton of complexity, but I think that's to be expected at such a low price point. 

On the palate, I picked up on notes of lime, lemon, and just a hint of peach for a nice mix of acidity and fruitiness that makes this wine immediately appealing to those who tend to like white wines in general. It's a wine that's quite easy to drink and that's not going to offend anyone, which is what makes it an excellent choice for those who are brand new to pinot grigio (or to wine in general). Plus, it's super convenient that you can pick up a bottle of this stuff during your standard Trader Joe's run. 

If you try this wine and like it, you can start to explore slightly more expensive bottles of pinot grigio. But as a starting point, there are few options that will give you more bang for your buck than this bottle will.

While a lot of the pinot grigios you'll find on the market come from Italy or France, Elementalist Pinot Grigio is an exception. The grapes that make up this wine come from California, but they're sourced from several vineyards. A wine that's exclusive to Aldi, it offers two main selling points for beginners: It's affordable, and it's easy to find if you already shop at Aldi regularly. 

That's not to say that it doesn't also taste delicious, though — you might notice notes of white peach, orange blossom, and lime for a zesty, refreshing sip that especially shines in hot weather. That mix of fruity and floral flavors yields a wine that drinks well above its price point. I think it's an excellent choice if you're looking for a pinot grigio that's not a total bottom-of-the-line bottle but that still isn't too expensive for beginners.

Not only is this an excellent pinot grigio generally, but it's also one of the alcohol items you should buy from Aldi. Easy-drinking, beautifully refreshing, and unfussy, this is a bottle you can keep stocking your fridge with all summer long. And who knows? It might just prompt you to check out some higher-end examples of pinot grigio, as well.

Northern Italy is home to some of the most notable pinot grigios in the world, and The Pinot Project Pinot Grigio is a great example of just that. It's crisp, clean, and easy to drink, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a pinot grigio. 

Pear is perhaps the most notable flavor I've encountered while trying this wine, although you get a nice acidic, citrusy note, too — and this is what makes it such a refreshing option. There are also some floral notes here, as well as a striking minerality that makes the wine feel sort of premium. And although it's not the cheapest wine of the bunch, it's still available at a really reasonable price. In fact, I think it's a great starting point for those who don't want to opt for the cheapest wine on the shelf, but still don't want to drop a ton of cash in the process.

I don't consider this wine groundbreaking or anything, but that's kind of the point in this case. When you're just starting to dig into a new grape, you'll want to taste a few solid examples of what it tastes like more generally, and I think this wine absolutely delivers on that front.

A lot of the time, when you see the term "pinot gris" on a wine bottle, it hails from France, specifically from the region of Alsace. However, that's not the case across the board. Often, a producer will choose to use the term pinot gris instead of pinot grigio to indicate that the wine is made more in the French style. That's the case when it comes to Ponzi Pinot Gris, which comes from Oregon's Willamette Valley. 

This is yet another wine where you're likely to encounter a pear-like flavor on the palate as soon as you take a sip. However, some reviewers also say that they notice a chalkiness to the wine, as well as notes of citrus, basil, and green apple. This wine does have some residual sugar, which means that it's a bit sweeter than a standard, crisp, Italian pinot grigio. However, one reviewer claims that this wine is still incredibly well-balanced — that's probably because the acidity shines through to create a nice harmony with that tiny bit of extra sweetness. 

Whether you prefer a wine that has a hint of sweetness to it or you're just on the hunt for a take on more of a pinot gris style than a pinot grigio one, this is an excellent bottle to check out.

Chances are you're going to find a bottle of Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Pinot Grigio at basically any store you go to that sells wine. I've encountered this bottle at countless grocery stores and wine shops, which is one of the reasons why it appears on this list — you're not going to have to go out of your way to find it. 

This is another great example of a pinot grigio that's not super cheap, but it won't have you emptying out your wallet, either. Crisp and refreshing with a noticeable zinginess, it's a wine that's going to appeal to just about every white wine lover, with its notes of green apple, grapefruit, and lemon. There's even a touch of herbiness there to make things a bit more interesting. It's an excellent introduction to pinot grigio, since it offers a really classic version of the style. 

Whether you're trying to select your first-ever bottle of this kind of wine or you're already a pinot grigio lover and are just looking for a solid value, Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Pinot Grigio has you covered. Try it alongside a refreshing summer salad, which will allow you to lean into those herbal flavors more, or let it shine with a classic Italian fish dish that leans into the terroir.

Now, this may be one of the most unconventional wines on this list, as a bottle of Field Recordings Domo Arigato (Mr. Ramato) may not immediately seem like it makes sense for a pinot grigio beginner. But in reality, that's exactly why I think this wine also belongs alongside more classic expressions of the grape. 

A ramato wine is one that's made with pinot grigio in Italy. But instead of coming through with that classic, crisp, white expression, this wine has more weight and complexity thanks to the fact that the juice stays in contact with the grape skins longer than is normal for typical white wines. This technically makes it an orange, or skin contact wine, and it's specially made in a style that hails from the Friuli region of northern Italy.

But Field Recordings Domo Arigato (Mr. Ramato) doesn't call Friuli home. Instead, it's made in the Central Coast of California, and it offers an especially fun and perhaps unexpected take on the grape. Along with its deeper, more dusky-looking hue, you might find that it boasts notes of orange zest, apricot, and herbs. Although it's certainly not the most classic take on pinot grigio you'll ever taste, it's an excellent example of just how versatile this grape can really be.

I chose these pinot grigio bottles based on a few different factors. First of all, I mostly selected wines that I've found to be widely available at both wine retailers and grocery stores in my area. I think it's important that wines for beginners are generally pretty easy to find and don't require you to order them online. 

I also tried to find a variety of different styles to include on this list. The majority of wines listed here tend to be on the lighter, crisper, and more refreshing side, which I think are qualities that are all perfect for pinot grigio beginners. However, I selected a few that were slightly more complex and fuller-bodied to represent just how versatile pinot grigio can be. I've tasted many of the wines on this list and have enjoyed them myself, and I consulted reviews for the wines I haven't tried and found them to be overwhelmingly positive.

Finally, I sought out bottles that I believe are available at an approachable price point. After all, you probably don't want to lay down a ton of money for a kind of wine you're not sure about yet. Although there's a range of different pricing here, I believe that most of these wines fall on the cheaper end of the affordability spectrum.