There is probably wine in your cabinet, cellar, or wine rack, that you are keeping for those special dinners or celebrations. And, there is most likely some wine you consider “everyday” wine that is usually less expensive, perhaps not overly complex, and well, quaffable.

When I’m mentally tired, I always crave a less complex wine, where I can drink, and enjoy every sip without it tiring my palate or testing my brain.

And Pinot Grigio wines would generally be one of those easy, light, and refreshing styles I keep on hand for everyday drinking or even as a crowd-pleaser for gatherings with friends.

This past February during the 2024 Vancouver International Wine Festival, I had the opportunity to “re-discover” if you will, the many wineries making Pinot Grigio from Delle Venezie, and, I was happily surprised with what I tasted.

Not only is Pinot Grigio, easygoing, refreshing, juicy, and food-friendly; but it’s also affordable and will please anyone’s palate. And, what I learned, was there are some beautiful notes to this wine, and some producers make a more finessed version of this everyday white.

Every day, delicious, juicy, refreshing wines with common characteristics you may smell and taste are: lemon, grapefruit, bitter almond, pear, white nectarine, green apple, honeysuckle, minerals, sage, mint, white flowers, white peach, saline notes.

If you’d like to seek out the same wines I tasted, here are all the Pinot Grigio wines tasted along with some stand-outs:

Bolla Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
Italian Wine Brands Gemma di Luna Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2022
Tommasi Viticoltori Le Rosse Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC  2022
Cantine Delibori Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2021

Botter Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC  2022

As for food that pairs well with these wines, we enjoyed the following canapes created by Earls in Yaletown, and I was delighted by how well they worked: Crispy chicken sliders, Coconut-crusted prawns with a curry lime aioli, Chicken Satay, Mushroom arancini balls, Buffalo cauliflower with a spicy buffalo sauce, Lobster & prawn roll, Sesame soy marinated Ahi tuna poke with mango and avocado, Tomato bruschetta.

My stand-outs were these wines…

Gruppo Martellozzo Blu Giovello Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022 – The blue bottle might throw you, but this is not like the others. The notes were white flowers, minerality with a hint of bitterness on the back of the palate. A dry, lovely version of PG.

Casa Paladin Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC  2021 – Refined on the palate, with a little tart and bitter notes alongside lemon-lime citrus and a nice mineral back bone.

Araldica Vini Conviviale Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022 – Who knew there were wineries allowing time on lees! This one had 5 months on lees, giving it this softer character, almond notes, citrus and of course a lovely mineral backbone.

Villa Sandi Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2021 – As well, this winery makes their PG with 6 months on lees, it was lean with a bit of tension, juicy with a saline finish.

Giuseppe Campagnola Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022 – This 5th generation winery is making a very juicy PG. It spent just 10 days on lees, very fresh, with nice acidity.

You may also find Pinot Grigio Spumante, Frizzante, and Bianco styles to enjoy.

The appellation of “delle Venezie” represents the entire north-eastern area of Italy, including the Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions and the province of Trento.

Here is a map of North Western Italy to show the three regions that makeup Delle Venezie.

I am always fascinated when you “re-discover” a wine and perhaps visit it with a fresh perspective, how differently you taste or how much more you taste. Wow, this is not what I expected from the Pinot Grigio event, I truly was pleasantly surprised.

I hope you are more curious about Pinot Grigio wines and what they have to offer.

Until next time, keep sipping and exploring!

Donita