
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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Domaine Carneros Carneros Pinot Noir (1.5 Liter Magnum) 1999Pinot Noir from California
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Joseph Drouhin Grand Echezeaux 1999Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France
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Sokol Blosser Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Williams Selyem Coastlands Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California
- RP
- WS
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Gundlach Bundschu Pinot Noir Rhinefarm 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WS
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Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from New Zealand
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Acacia Pinot Noir Lee (3 Liter) 1999Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
- RP
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Estancia Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
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Trapiche Estate Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Argentina
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Bridgeview Blue Moon Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Rogue Valley, Oregon
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Hanzell Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Louis Jadot Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France
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Beringer North Coast Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from California
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DeLoach Pinot Noir Balletto Ranch 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WS
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Gallo of Sonoma Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WS
- WE
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Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Acacia Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
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Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin 1999Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France
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Mark West Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
- WS
- WE
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Edna Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from California
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Muddy Water Pinot Noir Waipara 1999Pinot Noir from Wairarapa, New Zealand
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Robert Mondavi Napa Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Napa Valley, California
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Newton Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Napa Valley, California
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Artesa Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
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Bouchard Pere & Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1999Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France