2020 Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 750 ml

Peter Zemmer’s Pinot Grigios hold a special place in Wine Access lore. We've offered three vintages, each selling out faster than the last, and the most recent disappeared in hours. That last vintage, 2017, was a doozy, as our member services team was flooded with frantic emails trying to secure an already-gone wine.

It was Zemmer-mania—the sort of fervor that usually accompanies offers of NDA-protected cult Cabernets, or 95-point Bordeaux under $25—which speaks to how beloved Zemmer’s Pinot Grigio is, and how much value it delivers.

We vowed not to sell it again unless we could keep it in stock for at least a day, but the 91-point 2020 is so good that we had to drink our words—we can’t promise how long this will last. Perfectly balanced between rich fruit and vibrant acidity, it’s Pinot Grigio that will upend your expectations for an under-$20 wine.

Peter Zemmer’s wines are from deep and rich soils in the warm, southern microclimate of Alto Adige near the Trentino line. Here, Pinot Grigio takes on a decidedly more Alsatian complexion than its northern counterparts. In the hands of a master winemaker like Zemmer, those raw materials are a perfect starting point. He vinifies those grapes completely in stainless steel to preserve the zesty acidity and vibrancy that keep the wine balanced on a knife-edge.

Bursting with lemon zest, honeydew melon, white peach, basil, and quartz-like mineral aromas, Zemmer’s Pinot Grigio is captivating from the moment you pour it. The palate lives up to the promise of the nose, with a round mouthfeel and wave after wave of fruit and mineral flavors, leading to a bright, clean finish.

It’s crying out for a simple roast chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon zest; or perhaps a Niçoise salad; or even a piece of swordfish with a caper-olive relish—which is to say that it’s an incredibly versatile wine, with or without food. We’ve been known to drink a glass or three with nothing else but a comfortable chair and a lazy afternoon.

That sort of raw deliciousness and food-friendly quality makes for a wine that disappears quickly, which is how the cult of Zemmer began: It’s nearly impossible to have too much. We’ve been out of stock for three years, and will be again soon.