21 Best Pinot Grigio Wines Under $15 | Most Popular Pinot Grigios

best pinot grigio

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris is the same grape!

If you don’t know, now you know =)

french pinot gris vs pinot grigio

Most would consider Pinot Grigio an Italian white wine, and partly, that’s a fact. It’s arguably one of the most famous Italian wine styles. 

Well, the wine style is all Italian, but the grapes were born in Burgundy, France.

The Italians would call it Pinot Grigio, but the French call it Pinot Gris. 

But this wine style is not exclusive to Italy/France. It’s also a popular white wine in the United States and worldwide. What’s even better – you shouldn’t have to spend over $15 to $20 for Pinot Grigios.

Table of Contents

What are the Best Pinot Grigio Wines Under $15?

We independently select and recommend the best products. So when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 

wine pairing shrimp scampi white wines

Certified organic, non-GMO, sustainable, and vegan – made from grapes harvested by hand and fermented in an organic wine dedicated Estate cellar. This Italian Pinot Grigio is an elegant Tuscan classic, with a long and juicy aftertaste. Best served fresh!

Tasting Notes: Apple, pear, lemon, citrus, grapefruit, minerals

A lovely wine for a lovely day with its intense floral aroma combined with refreshing flavors of citrus, fruit, and a trace of minerality. If you love flowers and fruits, you’ll be reaching for this great wine.

Tasting Notes: Pineapple, mineral, apple, citrus

J Vineyards Pinot Gris​

Made from grapes sourced around the cool areas of the Russian River Valley region, this wine comes with excellent mouth-cleansing refreshing acidity. Phenomenal depth and complexity will complement any summer dishes.

Tasting Notes: Papaya, melon, pineapple

A vibrant wine from Willamette Valley. It has a perfectly balanced acidity that gives you a punch of fresh fruit – a perfect balance of sweet and crisp in a glass. I tried it, and it’s now one of my go-to Pinot for food pairing.

Tasting Notes: Apple, pear

Portlandia Pinot Gris

Another dry white wine from Oregon. Every sip is bursting with the scent and flavors of citrus and tropical fruits, bringing a mouthwatering acidity – incredibly refreshing and smooth on the palate.

Tasting Notes: Lemon meringue, citrus zest, pear, grapefruit

Four Graces PG

Beautiful and vibrant, this wine from Willamette Valley offers a slightly oaky scent and a buttery texture on the palate. It has a bright lingering acidity that makes it a great aperitif or paired with seared dishes.

Tasting Notes: Fuji apples, gooseberries, fresh lemon, lime zest

Vivacious yet elegant on the palate, this Pinot smells of a flower garden with a hint of spice. In the palate, you get a medium body, round texture, and a delicious, fresh finish. It makes a tasty starter or paired with meals.

Tasting Notes: Lemon, citrus, green apple, honeysuckle, spice

Gemma Di Luna Pinot Grigio

Here’s a great looking unique bottle from the Venezie region in Veneto, Italy. The taste is crisp and fruity, topped with toasty, fruity aromas – a classic expression of the famed Italian grape.

Tasting Notes: Apple pie, peach, lime zest

Swanson Pinot Grigio

Pale straw color, floral and fruity aromas with hints of freshly cut hay, and vibrant acidity and floral notes on the tongue.

Tasting Notes: Peach, guava, melon, Meyer lemon

A to Z Wineworks

Comes from one of the most well-known and best selling Oregon wine brands. 

This wine is youthful and vibrant with no pretenses. It’s clean, with ripe fruit, citrus flavors and a balanced refreshing acidity that gives way to hints of minerality in the background for added complexity – just enjoy!

Tasting Notes: Pear, apple, peach, apricot, minerals, honey

This Scarpetta wine comes from some of the best sites in Friuli Venezia Giulia, starting with light gravely soils. This Italian Pinot Grigio grape gives the wine a crisp acidity, and good minerality.

It’s a refreshing Pinot Grigio, with pear flavors and stone fruit on the palate.

Tasting Notes: Pear, apple, peach, citrus, minerals, lemon, honey

Pinot Gris wines from Willamette Valley are becoming more common in that wine region. 

This is a tasty and refreshing blend of ripe apple, pear, apricot flavors with tropical fruit in the mix. The finish has minerality that leaves your mouth feeling cool on an otherwise hot day!

Tasting Notes: Green apple, honeydew, citrus, honey

One of the most acclaimed New Zealand wineries, Brancott Estate makes this fruity, crisp wine with bright acidity. 

It has an appealing round texture with hints of ripe fruit flavors including white peach notes, granny smith apple, and stone fruit on each sip. In fact it’s perfect for backyard BBQs or summertime barbecues!

Tasting Notes: Grapefruit, tropical fruit, pear, peach, lemon

This wine has persistent and floral aromatics on the nose, fresh peach and white flower. Well balanced and structured with a good acidity, refreshing long finish.

A delicious food pairing with fresh fruits, salads, and seafood.

Tasting Notes: Pear, lemon, melon, white flowers

Daisy is a blend of four white grape varieties that have been co-fermented at the precise moment when they are optimal in ripeness. The resulting wine opened with gorgeous aromas such as grapefruit and pears framed by flinty minerality that gave off an earthy scent too!

Tasting Notes: Pear, peach, melon, grapefruit, honey, minerals

From the Alto Adige region in northern Italy, this amazing wine has a youthful, lively personality.

It has aromas of citrus and pears adding additional complexity to this refreshing wine that finishes dry but not harsh on your palate unlike many other wines in its wine styles!

Tasting Notes: Lemon, citrus, minerals, peach, pear

What are the Most Popular Pinot Grigio Wines?

Best Pinot Grigios wines under $35.

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio daily value pinot gris

This wine from Adige River Valley is the most famous from there. It has an intense yet clean aroma that tastes bone-dry – a great versatility and personality for a Pinot Grigio. 

Levio Felluga Pinot Grigio​

A straw yellow color that offers a complex aroma with a multilayered flavor of floral and fruity notes. But it still has that slight coppery nuance of the Pinot Grigio. One of the best Pinot Grigio on the market in terms of QPR. 

The 4th producer of Pinot Gris in the United States, Lange Estate Winery has built a reputation for producing some great examples of these wine styles that are among Oregon’s best.

This Pinot Gris has lots of fruit and mineral flavors along with a hint of oak. 

Tasting Notes: Peach, papaya, apricot, minerals, oak

This Pinot Grigio from Friuli is my ultimate favorite – worth mentioning even with the $40 price. It’s a layer of aroma and flavor, with delicate notes of fruits, toast, smoke, and oak spice that any wine enthusiast would love!

Why Is Pinot Grigio So Cheap?

The grape variety is easy to grow. Pinot Grigio wines are harvested early and are typically aged in stainless steel casks instead of the pricier oak barrels. All these make it cheaper, than say, Chardonnay. 

Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris

Primary fruit flavor of lime, lemon, pear, apple, and white nectarine. It gives that refreshing citrus (often fruity) flavor with biting acidity. 

But depending on where the grapes are from, they can have nuances in flavor that make them slightly different. Italian Pinot Grigios have more acidity, while Alsace Pinot Gris are slightly sweeter due to their later harvest. 

pinot gris vs pinot grigio

Meanwhile, Pinot Grigios from the US (Oregon, California) often suffers from identity crises. The styles like somewhere between Alsace and Italian whites, depending on the flavor profile they want to accomplish. They also tend to have less acidity but with MORE fruit flavors.

Best Regions for Pinot Grigio

  • Italy – Visit the regions of Alto Adige, Friuli, and the Veneto for some of the best Pinot Grigios in the world.
  • Willamette Valley – Normally known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Because the cool climate of Oregon, particularly in the Willamette region, is the home for medium-bodied, strong, and crisp Pinot Gris.
  • Alsace – Med-Full bodied, slightly sweeter (later harvest), world class Pinot Gris are made here. Slightly more expensive area for the best Pinot Gris.
  • California – Produces approachable, fresh, crisp, fruit forward Pinot Grigios/Pinot Gris

Pinot Grigio Food Pairings

Seafood, vegetables, and Italian seafood pastas. Plus the refreshing acidity of this wine along with the delicate floral and citrus notes that make it a perfect match for seafood. So whether you’re serving grilled fish, spaghetti alle vongole, fried calamari, or sushi, it will elevate your meal. 

For more information about Pinot Grigio Food Pairings, check out this article!

Fun Facts for Pinot Grigio

  • Our REFRESHING Summer Drink: Buzzy Lemonade = Pinot Gris + Lemonade
  • Pinot Grigios are a white wine from a red grape – or at least, a bluish-grey grape variety. That’s because they discard the skins (which give the red color in wines) after extracting the juice.
  • Pinot Grigios are the subtler, quieter version of the Sauvignon Blanc, especially when it comes to aromatics. Pinot is relatively neutral and smoother in the nose and palate.
  • Pinot Grigio is a middle mutation of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. 

Related Articles

More Posts

best lunch in napa

12 Best Lunch Spots In Napa

Best Lunch In Napa – Our 12 Favorite Spots! Lunch is a must when you’re out wine tasting! Whether you’re in the mood for a

Böen Pinot Noir

Böen Pinot Noir – WineO Mark Review

Böen Pinot Noir – WineO Mark Review Wine Stats Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir Vintage: 2021 ABV: 14.6% Wine Region: California Flavor Profile: Cherry, raspberry, blackberry,