Pinot Noir

Species: Vitis Vinifera
Parentage: Unknown
Aliases: Blauburgunder, Spatburgunder, Rulanske modre
Grape Color: Black
Regions:  Chiefly associated with France’s Burgundy region. Also prevalent in Champagne, France; California; New Zealand


“With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Vanity Fair, once described of Pinot Noir. Also christening it as a fickle mistress, a minx, and as sex in a glass, wine critics have had no hesitation in oft comparing Pinot Noir to a woman.

With many qualities lending themselves to this parallel, the best is likely that the Pinor Noir grape is difficult. Difficult to cultivate. Difficult to transform into wine. Difficult to pinpoint in taste.

The Pinot Noir grape is grown in tightly clustered dark purple, pine-cone shaped bunches, the resemblance from which it gets its name. Considered to produce the finest wines in the world, its fame as a Noble grape goes hand in hand Read more »

Mentor for Pinot Noir Wines

Richard Jennings

Wine writer (and HR exec). I write a weekly column for Huffington Post, and my blog is http://www.RJonWine.com. I have over 34,000 tasting notes on CellarTracker, where I'm the most "favorited" TN author.

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Popular Pinot Noir wines

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Popular Regions for Pinot Noir View all

  • California

    Viticulture in California began in the 1700s as Spanish missionaries worked their way north fro...

  • France

    Perhaps no country evokes such strong associations with fine wine as does France. Its reputatio...

  • Côte de Nuits

      The Cote des Nuits is the northern section of Burgundy’s Cote d’Or. Most of its Grands Cru...

  • Sonoma County

      Wine-making in Sonoma, California began in 1812 when Russian colonists planted grapes at F...

  • Gevrey Chambertin

      Gevrey-Chambertin is a village in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits, the northern section of the Co...

  • USA

    "American Wine" has existed since the first Europeans brought their vinous heritage and tradition...

  • Oregon

    The history of Oregon wine-making dates back to the mid 1800s. Horticulturalist Henderson Luell...

  • New Zealand

    The history of New Zealand wine-making dates back to the 1800s when settlers planted vines and ...

  • Côte de Beaune

      The Cote de Beaune is the southern section of the Cote d’Or, in Burgundy. Most of its Gran...

Popular Wineries using Pinot Noir

  • Rex Goliath

    At age 70, I have had at least 50 yrs. of a glass of wine after my evening meals. Just recently,...

  • 3 Blind Moose

    Truth be told, the moose aren’t blind. They just think it’s cool to share good wine with friends,...

  • Glass Mountain

    It has been more than hundred years since California wine pioneer Jean Laurent quarried stone fro...

  • Livingston Cellars

    Since 1984 and 17 years, the de facto estate wine of Livingston Moffett winery has been bottled ...

  • Dark Horse Wine

    Named 2007 Winemaker of the Year by the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, winemaker Michael Loykasek ha...

  • CrauforD Wine Co.

    Crauford Wine Company was founded in 2000 by Marilyn Crawford Corley, whose family originated in ...

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Pinot Noir on Snooth

  • OT, the vine age is an interesting concept...not an easy thing to analyze unless you really make an effort, such as routinely tasting the same site with different age to the vines.We just tend to accept the general knowledge that old vine = more complex, while young vines are not as complex. Young vines can still produce good wine though, I mean... Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • Those winemaker dinners sound very cool.  I can understand why they would sell out very quickly. Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • I ran up to Napa for a few days to get away and taste some wines from places ... ... a lot was 2010 Terraces Pinot Noir.  The wines are well crafted and all scored higher than 85.  Just nothing really special, in my opinion.Since the rooms in Yountville are open later and I wanted to dine there that evening, I went to Somerston.  I'd had thei... Read More

    Forum post in the topic Napa Highlights May 2013


  • Zd Wines Founder's Reserve Pinot Noir Carneros 2011

    Snoothrank:

    Nose of black cherry and dark plum. Big, bold aromas. Flavors on the palate of plum skin, blueberry, marionberry pie and spice. Very bold and dark style Pinot.88 pts.5/10/13 at winery Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Zd Wines Pinot Noir Carneros 2011

    Snoothrank:

    Dark nose of plum, blueberry and spice. Rich and lush on the palate with dark purple and blue fruits. Flavors of plum, boysenberry and blueberry. Spice. Nice wine.90 pts.5/10/13 at winery Read More

    Wine review by VegasOenophile


  • Will have to see if I can make it up in Aug - OTI got the email from Littorai at 10:30 am, opened it at noon and the Littorai dinner was already sold out! To say that this is a much sought after event is a vast understatement. Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • Interesting about the vine age leading toward minerality/complexity. I guess in terms of vine age, we're not very far removed from SidewaysI'm not really sold on that idea. I've had very minerally driven wines from vines that are not necessarily that old but were planted in limestone (Chalone, Matthiasson). The problem with modern viticulture is... Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • Will have to see if I can make it up in Aug - OTAt least now you know what Cargasacchi wine to avoid...would recommend their Sta. Rita Hills stuff if you're going to try them. Clos Pepe and Dragonette are higher on my radar, then of course Sandhi.Interesting about the vine age leading toward minerality/complexity. I guess in terms of vine age, w... Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • Cargasacchi is on my short list. Peter is a nice guy  and a huge advocate for Central Coast Pinot.So much wine, so little money! Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • I agree with your opinion. Balance is very important  as well as smooth finish. In terms of geology making  an impact on minerality in a wine. It takes years for root stock to penetrate deep enough to begin absorbing the minerals found in the region. U.S. Pinots are beginning to gain the age needed to gain complexity from the geology. It will be... Read More

    Forum post in the topic Pinot Noir Thread - Domestics...


  • Here in New Zealand we are blessed with the finest "New World" Pinot Noir - as we say 'cheap as chips'. Come on over and try it - a Bucket List must. Especially the South Island. I'm not in the business - only an avid consumer!

    Comment by 934098Tomap 934098 Tomap


  • Pinot nero is known as the Burgundian king of red wines. With rich and intense aromas of dark berries, spice and violets and pairs well with light meats like (our veal scaloppine). This thin-skinned variety is grown in Alto Adige. Primarily in Bassa Atesina, but also Oltradige, Bolzano basin, Adige Valley, and Val Venosta. The Pinot Nero grows b...

    Comment by 939258Antonio Chef Tony 939258 Antonio Chef Tony


  • Sorry I forgot to say that the wine maker is Adelsheims Vinyard Thank You

    Comment by 980317ShaeO 980317 ShaeO


  • More over a question relating to an older vintage. Specifically a 1979 Pinot Noir . Which I happen to have. My question is ,how should I properly store this wondeful wine and can anyone confirm that on that label is the portrait of a fellow by the name of Scott W. Thank you for any answers that you might have. By: Shae A. Osborn

    Comment by 980317ShaeO 980317 ShaeO


  • I believe that Pinot Noir stands just as high as some of the other reds such as a Cab/or Zin..

    Comment by 535405hmachens 535405 hmachens


  • one of my favorite wines, best between 8ºC - 10ºC... great variety for soft red lovers. Cono Sur Pinot Noir is by far the best in Chile.

    Comment by 851278AlRamirez 851278 AlRamirez


  • 2008 Torii Mor deux verres It is stellar. 2008 is a great vintage for Willamette Pinot and the Torii Mor deux verres is among the best of them and is already drinking well above several more expensive Pinot. So classically light and yet so luxuriously fruity, with a perfect amount of tannic structure that will allow it to gain further complexity...

    Comment by 362251jamesy 362251 jamesy


  • I HAVE TO SAY PAUL HOBBS CROSS BARN VINYARD...ABSOLUTELY A PHENOMONAL WELL BALANCED BOTTLE OF WINE FOR ALL YOU PINOT NOIR LOVERS. THAT IS ONE SEXY BOTTLE

    Comment by 666705elcachimbo 666705 elcachimbo


  • MacMurray Ranch continues each year to be of very high taste and quality. Truly enjoyable. A standard from Sonoma. Enjoy.

    Comment by 598485ecco1212 598485 ecco1212


  • Michael Stephens 2008 pinot noir.Is it worth buying?

    Comment by 539349Thick Legs 539349 Thick Legs


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