
Pinot Noir
Learn about Pinot Noir — taste profile, popular regions and more ...
One of the most finicky yet rewarding grapes to grow, Pinot Noir is a labor of love for many. However, the greatest red wines of Burgundy prove that it is unquestionably worth the effort. In fact, it is the only red variety permitted in Burgundy. Highly reflective of its terroir, Pinot Noir prefers calcareous soils and a cool climate, requires low yields to achieve high quality and demands a lot of attention in the vineyard and winery. It retains even more glory as an important component of Champagne as well as on its own in France’s Loire Valley and Alsace regions. This sensational grape enjoys immense international success, most notably growing in Oregon, California and New Zealand with smaller amounts in Chile, Germany (as Spätburgunder) and Italy (as Pinot Nero).
Tasting Notes for Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a dry red wine, typically diominated by red fruit—strawberry, raspberry and cherry with some heftier styles showing black plum and more delicate styles of Pinot giving citrus qualities. It is relatively pale in color with soft tannins and a lively acidity. With age Pinot Noir can develop hauntingly alluring characteristics of fresh earth, savory spice and dried fruit.
Perfect Food Pairings for Pinot Noir
Pinot’s healthy acidity cuts through the oiliness of salmon or texture of tuna but its mild mannered tannins give it enough structure to pair with all sorts of poultry: chicken, quail and especially duck. As the namesake wine of Boeuf Bourguignon, Pinot Noir has proven it isn’t afraid of beef. California examples work splendidly well with barbecue and Pinot Noir is also vegetarian-friendly—most notably with any dish that features mushrooms.
Sommelier Secrets for Pinot Noir
For administrative purposes, the region of Beaujolais is often included in Burgundy. But it is extremely different in terms of topography, soil and climate, and the important red grape here is ultimately Gamay, not Pinot Noir. Truth be told, there is a tiny amount of Gamay sprinkled around the outlying parts of Burgundy (mainly in Maconnais) but it isn’t allowed with any great significance and certainly not in any Village or Cru level wines. So "red Burgundy" still necessarily refers to Pinot noir.
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- Standard (750ml)81
- Green9
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Sequana Sundawg Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
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Sea Smoke Cellars Ten Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- WE
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Brittan Gestalt Block Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
- WE
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Williams Selyem Ferrington Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California
- WE
- CG
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Pessagno Winery Lucia Highlands Estate Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- WE
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Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
- WE
- RP
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Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Mt. Harlan, Central Coast, California
- WE
- WS
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Williams Selyem Litton Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
- WS
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Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
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Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
- CG
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MacRostie Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
- WE
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Cumbre of Vine Hill Hicks Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Santa Cruz Mountains, California
- WE
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Semper Gold Ridge Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
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Gloria Ferrer Carneros Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
- WE
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MacPhail Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WE
- WS
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MacPhail Pratt Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WE
- RP
- CG
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Wild Horse Unbridled Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- W&S
- WE
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BearBoat Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- WE
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Robert Stemmler Nugent Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Russian River, Sonoma County, California
- WE
- WS
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Longoria Fe Ciega Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- WE
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Marimar Estate Don Miguel Vineyard Cristina Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WE
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Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- WE
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Artesa Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
- WE
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McIntyre Mission Ranch Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
- WE
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Hanzell Pinot Noir 2007Pinot Noir from Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California
- W&S
- WE