All the medallists from The Global Pinot Gris Masters 2026

Pinot Gris is often associated with undemanding wines, but in the right hands it is capable of producing something magical, says Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

“NOTHING IS so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish we readily believe,” the Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes warns us in his Third Olynthiac.

Many wine people tend to think of almost all Pinot Grigio – and much Pinot Gris – as vaguely fruity, neutral white wines to be chosen by consumers who would like a glass of inexpensive, easy-drinking white wine with not much varietal flavour.

Thus the judges, on a cool and drizzly London morning, approached this year’s Global Pinot Gris Masters with notions of impending dullness rather than with anticipated excitement. A lesson to be learnt for occasionally somnolent judges? Never underestimate what might come your way.

In fact, it was a truly successful judging day. The vast majority of wines were really delightful – fresh, pure and quaffable. What this Global Masters showed is that Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris can provide, as one judge noted, “uncomplicated drinkability at sensible prices”, if not the great complexity of fine-quality Chardonnay or Riesling. An intriguing aspect of this year’s judging was the subtle variation in fruit flavours the wines delivered.

Perhaps the most surprising thing was how well the really inexpensive wines (under £10) performed. There were Silver medals aplenty, and a Gold for Tenuta La Presa’s Pinot Grigio Rosé.

At £10–£15, most of the white wines came from Italy, with the Veneto DOC in preponderance, although there were some from Trentino-Alto Adige and even Sicily, and a few from Australia and New Zealand. The wines have bright orchard fruit and melon, supported by zippy acidity, which meant that most of the wines achieved Silvers. Gold medals went to Cavit from Alto Adige, Corvezzo from the Veneto, and Marisco from Marlborough.

REAL EXCITEMENT

The judges found real excitement at £15–£20 – the wines offered exceptional value for money in today’s marketplace. Unoaked whites from Torresella in the Veneto and De Bortoli in Victoria,

Australia, were awarded Golds. In the oaked white group, Austria took a Gold for Nestor Wein’s Burgenland Pinot Gris and our Grand Master for the incomparable Krispel Grauburgunder from Vulkanland-Steiermark.

Within the higher price range of £20–£30, there was nothing but shimmering awards. Vibrant and balanced, Ca’ Bolani’s unoaked wine from Friuli in Italy and Krispel’s oaked version from Vulkanland-Steiermark in Austria both won Golds, and an unoaked wine from Nals Margreid in Alto Adige was awarded a Master.

Our most expensive price bracket in this year’s competition was £30–£50, where all the wines achieved at least a Gold medal. Oaked expressions Vie di Romans Dessimis from Friuli and Mezzacorona Musivum from Trentino were joined by Riversdale Estate’s unoaked Pinot Gris from Tasmania. Krispel from Austria again came up trumps, with its oaked Grauburgunder being awarded a Master.

Weingut Krispel deserves a special mention for its hat-trick for the three vintages of Grauburgunder, which took home a Gold, a Master and the Grand Master in this year’s event. We are fairly certain that these bottles should be on every discerning wine drinker’s list.

As the judges discovered, there is more to Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris than simple quaffing wines destined for the pub or a backyard barbecue. Many of the wines have succulent richness, balanced by just enough acidity. True excitement, even at knock-down prices, is not only achievable – it is here and now.

Unoaked Pinot Gris/ Grigio

Unoaked Rosé  Pinot Gris/ Grigio

Oaked Pinot Gris/ Grigio

Unoaked Pinot Gris/ Grigio Blend

Unoaked Rosé Pinot Gris/ Grigio Blend

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Pinot Gris Masters provides a chance for your wines to shine. The 2026 competition was judged on 17 June at COMO Halkin in London, employing experienced judges. The top entries were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolades – the titles of Global Pinot Gris Master or Grand Master. This report features medal winners only. Please visit the Global Masters website for more information or, to enter future competitions, with a chance to appear in print and online, call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Aston at: [email protected]