PINOT NOIR

You're beautiful...a goddess...but so exasperating! Loving you is like worshiping an unfaithful temptress! As often as you've disappointed us with your undependable ways, you always seem to draw us back. Your alluring beauty and elegance leave us helpless and forgiving of all your moodiness. So long disdainful of any place outside of your home on the golden slopes of Burgundy, we’ve learned to pacify your temperamental nature with brisk coastal breezes and hillside vistas of the New World. Perhaps now you will grace us with all the charm and beauty that has kept the Burgundians devoted to you for centuries.This quote is from:
http://wine.appellationamerica.com/grape-varietal/Pinot-Noir.html

Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties in the world. The name comes from the pinecone shape that the bunches of grapes resemble and the colour of the grapes. Pinot Noir has been cultivated in Burgundy, France since the first century AD, and was used as sacramental wine by the churches that owned all of the vineyards in Burgundy after the Romans withdrew. It remained that way until the French revolution in 1789 when the vineyards were taken away from the church and given to the resident families of burgundy.

Pinot Noir is an extremely temperamental grape to grow being susceptible to almost every ailment that can affect grapes, and is very particular about needing a moderately cool climate to produce good quality wines. Pinot Noir is also very susceptible to mutations with over 50 different mutated versions existing in France today.

Every major wine producing nation of the world has at least some pinot noir vines planted, but with varying levels of success. France, New Zealand, Chile, California and Australia all produce some excellent Pinot Noirs. South Africa even has its own unique cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault called Pinotage which is beginning to gain popularity across the world. Pinot Noir is also one of the essential components of Champagne along with Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. (Some people may ask how a grape that produces red wine can be used in a white sparkling wine? The answer is that almost all wine producing grapes are white inside and it is only extended maceration with the skin that makes wine red.)

Pinot Noir can be matched with a wide array of foods. It can match well with red meats as long as the meat is not flavoured with too much spice. It can accompany many seafood dishes but is best with strong flavoured fish such as salmon, swordfish and even shark. I believe the best match for Pinot Noir is a strong flavoured smoked cheese, which can compliment the fruity components of young Pinot Noir, and also matches well with the smokey cigar box flavours of oak aged Pinots.

France

Pinot Noir thrives in France’s Burgundy region, particularly on the Cote d’Or which has produced some of the world's most celebrated wines for centuries. Demand for Red Burgundies usually outweighs supply but you can still buy decent Pinot Noirs from Burgundy for under £10 a bottle, but £20 will get you a wine that is smooth, silky and unmatched by any other Pinot Noir producing region in the world. The ‘Appellation Controlle’ system has named certain parcels of land as ‘Premiere Cru’ and ‘Grand Cru’ which is the name given to the best quality wines made in Burgundy. These Cru wines can sell for twice the price or more than the wine made on neighboring land which can seem strange to people not familiar with the French wine system, but we will talk more on this topic in my article named ‘Terrior’ which will be posted in the coming weeks.

Pinot Noir is also grown in a few other areas of France, such as Sancerre in the Loire Valley and Champagne, but is at its best in Burgundy. Some vineyards are producing Rose wines from Pinot Noir in the south of France, but these wines do not fit in with the Appellation Controlle system and are therefore ‘Vin de Pays’, which is classed as lesser quality wine but yet again I will leave that argument for a later article.

U.S.A.

In the United States Pinot Noir has had considerable success in California, Oregon, Washington State and in the state of New York. It was introduced during the 1930s and has flourished producing some very good quality wines. A majority of Pinot Noir is grown in California where it produces light, fruity wines that have gained a cult following across the world. Areas such as Sonoma, Napa Valley, and the Central Coast are continuing to produce increasing better Pinot Noirs, with gamey vegetal notes, and the better quality wines have similar flavours to Burgundy Pinots. As more vineyards begin to open up in cooler regions the quality will continue to increase and with it, the aging potential of their Pinot Noirs.

Chile

Although wine has been grown in Chile since the days of the Spanish Conquisitors, more high altitude vineyards have begun to produce great quality wines for the world market. The bulk of Chile’s wines are grown in the Central Valley, but the best wine comes from the higher river valleys such as Casablanca, Rapel and Maipo Valleys. These high altitude areas have the potential to produce amazing wines and some conscientious winemakers are producing top quality cooler climate wines such as Pinot Noir and even Riesling. Due to the economic situation of Chile, great wines can be purchased at prices that other countries cannot compete with. Pinot Noir ripens very well in this climate and can produce rich ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours and extremely light coloured wines that can be difficult to beat on price point. The future of Chilean wines looks good with an ever increasing share of the world market.


Tasting Notes

Blason de Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Cote Chalonnaise 2006, Burgundy, France £7.99

Deep dark ruby colour with subtle aromas of smoke and wet leaves. This wine displays aromas of orange blossom which is not an aroma traditionally found in red wine but it is definitely present.

The palate is slightly disappointing with a small amount of red fruits, medium tannins, medium body and a short finish. This is not a great example of a cheap Burgundy but I purchased it from a supermarket so did not expect a great deal.
Rating: 5/10

Lycee Viticole Beaune Premiere Cru, Cote d’Or, 2002, Burgundy France £18.95

This wine is at the other end of the burgundy spectrum, being made from Premiere Cru grapes at the wine school in Beaune. This is actually one of the wines I sell in my current job and have customers selling this wine for about £120 a bottle in restaurants in Knightsbridge, London. This is the kind of Burgundy that can age for a considerable length of time and will continue to develop smooth round flavours.

Rich ruby red colours with aromas of subtle ripe raspberry. The palate exhibits typical Cru Burgundy flavours of strawberry and cherry and a smokey herbaceous finish that goes on forever. The high levels of acidity and soft round tannins make this a wine that brings out the wow factor in any drinker and at this price will never disappoint.
Rating: 9/10

Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir, 2005, Central Coast, California, USA £6.99

Tawny red in colour with a pale rim. This wine exhibits aromas of cigar box, cloves and black cherries with a palate of under-ripe plums. This wine has high acidity and a short finish, but has no tannin which makes me think that it was produced using Carbonic Maceration. (This is the process of placing whole bunches of grapes in a vat under a blanket of carbon dioxide. The fermentation begins and in the absence of yeast the grapes own enzymes cause the fermentation, the result is good colour extraction from the skins, but no tannin, and a soft fruity palate.)
Rating: 5/10

Vistamar Sepia Pinot Noir, 2006, Casablanca Valley, Chile £5.99

Vibrant ruby red colour with aromas of smoke, chocolate and wild flowers. The palate has intense strawberry flavours with a medium length smokey finish. The high acidity and light bodied nature of this wine make it extremely easy to drink and at this price I dare anyone to find a better value Pinot Noir from anywhere in the world.
Rating: 8/10

These are four distinctly different Pinot Noirs from around the world and many more exist, some are similar, others very different. Nepenthe from Australia make some beautiful Pinot Noirs that look almost like a dark rose in colour and New Zealand with their cool climate is continuing to win awards across the world for Pinot Noir. It can be a little bit more expensive than the usual Cabernet or Merlot that most people are used to drinking, but for anyone interested in moving from drinking white wines to red, Pinot Noir is a great place to start.