Pinot Grigio from Veneto: from fresh steel to ramato
Pinot Grigio is one of the best-loved Italian whites in the world, and the Nordest is its homeland: this is where the DOC delle Venezie was born in 2017, today the largest white-wine denomination in Italy, bringing together Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the province of Trento. On this page you'll find our Veneto selection — 5 labels from 10,50 € to 60 € — with a guide to styles, denominations, food pairings and how to serve it.
The bottles tell the two faces of this grape variety: the fresh and lively one, fermented in steel, the classic white for aperitifs and fish; and the ramato one, made by leaving the must in contact with the greyish-pink skins of the grape, which gives a copper colour, full body and an almost tannic texture — the most food-friendly version, rediscovered today by organic producers.
Pinot Grigio at a glance
Our Pinot Grigio labels
The Pinot Grigio labels available on VaiGustando, from the Pedemontana Veneta to the Piave. Click a wine for the full details and to buy.
A grey grape, offspring of Pinot Nero
Pinot Grigio is a mutation of Pinot Nero: its grape is neither white nor black but greyish-copper, with berries that at ripeness take on shades ranging from ash pink to brass. It is precisely this skin colour that makes two very different interpretations of the same grape variety possible, depending on how long the must stays in contact with the skins.
Brought to Italy in the nineteenth century, it found its ideal home in the Triveneto, between alluvial plains and cool hills. Our labels are born in Veneto, between the Pedemontana Trevigiana and the banks of the Piave, the historic heart of production.
Where it comes from: the DOC delle Venezie
The Pinot Grigios in our catalogue come from Veneto and fall under the great denomination of the Nordest:
- Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC — born in 2017, it brings together Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trento; it is the largest white-wine DOC in Italy and the natural home of this grape variety.
- Pedemontana Veneta and Piave (Veneto) — the hills between Castelfranco and Asolo of La Caneva dei Biasio and the banks of the Piave of Italo Cescon, where the organic TesiRare line is born.
Depending on the area and the style, Pinot Grigio is found as DOC delle Venezie or as Veneto IGT, the latter used for the more experimental interpretations such as the macerated ones.
White or ramato: two styles from the same grape variety
The great peculiarity of Pinot Grigio is that two different wines are born from the same grape:
- White — the must is separated from the skins straight away: the wine is straw yellow, fresh, nimble, with pear and apple fruit. It is the most widespread style, the classic aperitif white.
- Ramato — the must stays in contact with the greyish-pink skins for hours or days: the wine takes on a copper colour, more body, a light tannic texture and riper notes. It is the traditional Veneto style, rediscovered today by organic producers such as Italo Cescon with his skin-macerated TesiRare "GrigioRamato".
Alongside the ramato, the same winery also offers the TesiRare "BiancoGrigio" integro, made without maceration: two organic faces of the same Pinot Grigio, to understand how much skin contact matters.
Organoleptic profile: how to recognise it in the glass
In its classic version, Pinot Grigio is straw yellow, with aromas of pear and apple and white flowers, and a citrus touch. On the palate it is dry, medium-light in body, with a freshness that invites another sip: clean, immediate, versatile.
The ramato version, macerated on the skins, changes register: copper colour, fuller body, riper fruit and a light tannic texture that makes it a table wine rather than an aperitif. The alcohol, in both cases, hovers around 12-13% vol.
Our Pinot Grigio producers
Two Veneto wineries, two ways of understanding the grape variety:
- Italo Cescon (Piave, Treviso) — wine craftsmen on the banks of the Piave since 1957; their organic TesiRare line explores Pinot Grigio in two versions, the "BiancoGrigio" integro and the "GrigioRamato" macerated on the skins. Discover the winery →
- La Caneva dei Biasio (Cendrole, between Castelfranco and Asolo) — their Pinot Grigio DOC is the freshest and most immediate version, the everyday white for aperitifs and fish. Discover the winery →
Food pairings: what to eat with Pinot Grigio
To understand what to drink Pinot Grigio with, it helps to tell apart its two faces. In its classic version, fermented in steel, it is a dry, lively white, with pear and apple fruit, citrus and a freshness that invites another sip: medium-light body, clean profile, the typical aperitif and all-round wine that quarrels with nothing. Then there is the ramato, made by leaving the must in contact with the greyish-pink skins of the grape: it takes on a copper colour and a fuller body, with an almost tannic texture and riper notes, and at the table it holds up to distinctly more flavourful dishes. In both cases acidity is its weapon: it cuts through fat, cleanses and keeps the mouth fresh. The rule is simple: the steel version alongside delicate dishes, the ramato when the flavour rises.
- Antipasti and aperitifs, from sea and land
- Fish and seafood, from raw to fried
- First courses with fish, vegetable or herb sauces
- White meats and egg dishes
- Cheeses, fresh and soft
In eastern Veneto, between the Grave del Piave and the lagoon, Pinot Grigio is a house white tailored to fish cooking. Steel-fermented, it accompanies seafood risotto, sarde in saor and a plate of fried moleche, the lagoon's soft-shell crabs, where its freshness cuts through and cleanses. With spring it is the wine of risi e bisi, the Venetian soup of rice and peas. The ramato, more structured, raises the bar and stands up to baccalà mantecato, richer first courses and even a board of light cured meats, holding its own against flavours that would put a slighter white in difficulty.
In short: the steel version is the everyday aperitif and fish white, to be served well chilled (10-12°C), while the ramato macerated on the skins gains body and pairs with white meats and more flavourful dishes.
How to serve and store Pinot Grigio
Serve white-style Pinot Grigio well chilled, at 10-12 °C, in white-wine glasses. For the ramato and macerated versions it is worth going up to 12-14 °C and using a wider glass: cold, they stay closed, while at the right temperature they release body and aromas.
In the cellar, keep the bottles lying down, in the dark, at a constant temperature. Once opened, steel-fermented Pinot Grigio should be drunk within a couple of days; the macerated ones, more structured, hold up a little longer.
Buying guide
The selection starts with the everyday (10-15 €) range, with the Pinot Grigio DOC by La Caneva dei Biasio (10,50 €) and the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie by Italo Cescon (13,50 €). It then rises with Cescon's organic TesiRare line: the "BiancoGrigio" integro (22 €) and the "GrigioRamato" macerated (28 €), up to the magnum with gift case (60 €).
You'll find up-to-date prices and the buy button in the cards above.
Other Veneto whites to discover
Keep exploring the Veneto whites in our catalogue: Manzoni Bianco. Or browse all the white wines.