RELAX Pinot Noir

Extending south from the Rheingau region to become a valley of gently rolling hills, Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine region. The best Rieslings of Rheinhessen, often characterized by smoky, peach and citrus aromas, come from vines grown in the red soils of the Rheinterrasse.

Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”