Pinot Noir is a delicate grape that requires a cool climate and is notoriously unstable. Despite this, it is one of the most famous grape varieties in the world, producing magical wines with depth and character. It is sweeter than Cabernet Sauvignon and has a lighter color due to thinner skins. Pinot Noir is used in Burgundy and many monovarietal wines, as well as being the predominant grape in most sparkling wines. In the US, it is popular as a varietal wine, with Oregon producing some outstanding examples.
Pinot Noir is often considered one of the noblest grapes, at the top of that pantheon shared by Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot. It is the primary grape in great Burgundy wines, velvety and smooth, full of nuance that at its best is rarely paired with other grapes. Unlike the more stable Cabernet Sauvignon, however, Pinot Noir is notoriously unstable, so while Bordeaux has a well-deserved reputation for producing consistent wines that can reasonably be expected to deliver the same level of quality year after year, Burgundies they are a wild card in virtually every bottle.
This grape ripens early, requiring a relatively cool climate to take advantage of the short growing season. It seems overly sensitive to virtually all aspects of viticulture, from pruning, to soil composition, to the amount of sun it receives on a daily basis. The grape has been called the winemaker’s plague and a “minx of a vine.” Even with all of that, however, Pinot Noir is one of the most famous grape varieties in the world. This should come as no surprise, though with its myriad problems, when it all comes together and works, the wines it produces are almost magical in their depth and character.
Pinot Noir is sweeter than its cousin Cabernet Sauvignon, with much less tannin and with a scent and perfume that delicately perfumes it. The wine has a fairly light color due to the thinner skins of the grapes. It will age for some time, but a good wine can also be enjoyed young. In its younger stages, Pinot Noir contains juicy and decadent fruit, especially berries. As it gets older, it tastes more of greenery, even if the fruit remains everywhere.
A number of Pinot Noir clones have achieved fairly high success in their own right. The Pinot Meunier used in Champagne is a harder clone of the grape, and both Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are other popular clones. Besides being used in Burgundy and in many monovarietal wines, it is also the predominant grape in most sparkling wines. In Champagne, it is blended with Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, and in other regions, it can be blended with Chardonnay and another rougher grape.
In the United States, Pinot Noir is very popular as a varietal wine. While California has produced many outstanding wines made from this grape, particularly in the fog-chilled coastal strip of Northern California, it is in Oregon that the grape has come to its own. Several Oregon Pinot Noirs are thought to be likely contenders to cede Burgundy from its crown.
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