Pinot Noir Grape Variety Information

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine. It’s loved for its red fruit, flower, and spice aromas that are accentuated by a long, smooth finish. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or. Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.soils.
French Pinot Noir
Flavors: Cherry, Hibiscus, Rose Petal, Mushroom, Potting Soil

Pinot Noir wines are made in a few places throughout France but the most famous region – by far – is Burgundy (aka “Bourgogne.”)

The world’s most coveted Pinot Noir vines grow on a narrow, east-facing slope just South of Dijon. Burgundy is a very old wine region and was first tended by Cistercian monks in the Middle Ages.

When tasting French Pinot Noir, you may note its more earthy and floral style. This is part of Burgundy’s terroir. In fact, many fine winemakers here choose to ferment with whole grape clusters to increase tannin in their Pinot Noir wines. This effort may result in bitterness early on, but results in wines that age 20+ years.

A view looking over Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma Valley towards the morning fog during harvest
Looking into the morning fog in Sonoma Valley from Hanzell Vineyards during harvest. By Hanzell Vineyards
California Pinot Noir
Flavors: Cherry, Raspberry, Allspice, Darjeeling Tea, Vanilla

The United States is very diverse. That said, the lion’s share of American Pinot Noir wines come from California. While California might otherwise be too warm for this grape, you’ll find Pinot Noir excels in places that receive cooling breezes (and morning fog) from the Pacific Ocean. The ocean moderates the temperatures in places like Sonoma, Southern Napa Valley, and the Central Coast (including Santa Barbara.)

California Pinot Noir is typically rich, fruity, and lush in style. The ample sun and controlled temperatures make it easy for winemakers to pick at the perfect moment when ripeness is optimal. Besides brooding rich fruit flavors, many of these wines have subtle allspice undertones from aging in imported French oak barrels.


Fun Facts About Pinot Noir
-Pinot Noir likely originated in Burgundy, France. (Robinson et al. 808)
-Mark your calendar! August 18th is Pinot Noir Day.
-Pinot Noir enjoys the same climate as Chardonnay. You’ll often find these two grapes planted close by.
-Blanc de Noirs Champagne uses Pinot Noir (and Pinot Meunier) as its base grape.
-Pinot Noir is one of the few red grapes that’s commonly made into red, rosé, white, and sparkling wine!
-DNA analysis has revealed that Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc are simply mutations of the same grape! (Regner et al. 2000b)
-Still white wines made entirely from Pinot Noir are rare but do exist. They tend to be rich and robust, even when tannic extraction is kept to a minimum. Unsurprisingly they can show similarities to heavier examples of Pinot Gris, but with less aromatic intensity.