
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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Brancott Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from New Zealand
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Gallo of Sonoma Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Mark West Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California
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Sterling Winery Lake Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Carneros, California
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Beaux Freres Belles Soeurs Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Wyndham Bin 333 Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Australia
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Meridian Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
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Mirassou Coastal Selection Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
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Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California
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King Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Clos du Bois Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Panther Creek Freedom Hill Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Dry Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Fess Parker American Tradition Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Central Coast, California
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Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Napa Valley, California
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Mount Eden Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Santa Cruz Mountains, California
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DeLoach Estate Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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J Vineyards Nicole's Vineyard Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Talbott Case Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from North Coast, California
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DeLoach O.F.S. Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Iron Horse Estate Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, California
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Bethel Heights Flat Block Reserve Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
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Robert Mondavi Coastal Pinot Noir 1999Pinot Noir from North Coast, California
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