One of the so-called international varietals, Pinot Noir (or simply Pinot) is a red wine grape most notably grown in Burgundy and Champagne, as well as California and Germany - where it is known as Spätburgunder.
This grape is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.
Aromas
Wines made from 100% Pinot Noir tend to be light to medium-bodied with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or blackcurrant. Traditional red Burgundy is famous for its fleshy aromas, but changing fashions and new easier-to-grow clones have favoured a lighter, fruitier style.
Pinot Noir is rarely blended with other varietals, except for producing sparkling wines like Champagne.
edit Regions
Pinot Noir is ubiquitous in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir is ubiquitous in Burgundy.
Outside Burgundy where it has been extensively grown for at least six centuries, Pinot Noir is also one of the three varieties commonly used in the blends for Champagne and is grown throughout that region. Elsewhere in France it is planted in Alsace, the Loire, and even in the Midi where it makes lower-quality wine.
Pinot Noir can also be found in Italy as Pinot Nero, the Spanish vineyards around Catalunya and Priorato, Switzerland and Germany - where it is known as Spätburgunder.
In the New World, it has established itself in numerous cooler climates, with particular success in Oregon and New Zealand. There has also been some success in cooler parts of California like the Central Coast and Russian River Valley. It is also planted in Argentina, Canada, Chile, South Africa, and the Australian regions of Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and Yarra Valley.
edit Viticulture
Pinot Noir is extremely sensible to geography and climate. In warmer regions, Pinot Noir ripes very fast and doesn't have time to develop all the surprising aromas its thin skin can store in colder regions.
It is generally regarded as a rather ancient grape - which partly explains its propensity to spontaneously mutate, resulting in varieties such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier among others in the Pinot Family. It is a cooler-climate variety that is quite susceptible to damage by cold weather at flowering and also quite prone to both millerandage and coulure.
edit Other names
* Blauer Burgunder
* Pinot
* Spätburgunder
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