I like to support BC VQA wines if possible and have found Kettle Valley, Blue Mountain and a new one called Spierhead. They all make very nice Pinot Gris with Blue Mountain making an excellent Pinout Blanc.
While I agree in general about some Italian Pinot Gris being sweet, the Tommasi Pinot Grigio is citrusy which pairs very well with fish.
All of these wines are sub $22 but given some of the awards some have won, price is not a great indicator of the quality of the wine.
Since it's a gift and Brynn offered her ideas, you should find a nice gift from those regions mentioned