International Pinot Noir Day!

The day, 18th August, is finally here so grab a glass of some good old-fashioned Pinot Noir and read about what makes this grape so special.

Many red wine drinkers will find themselves, me included, enjoying exploring a range of red grapes from Greek Xinomavro, Nebbiolo, Pinotage and so on. However, there is always one grape you can reliably go back to and know it will be a fantastic wine every time. You just can’t beat a good Pinot. Something about it, whether it is the timeless classic flavours that tend to be automatically associated with red, or its ability to be both versatile yet consistent. It rarely fails to please. It is grown all over the world across every continent in winemaking countries, which provides a great opportunity to see the differences that climate and winemaking (barrels etc) induce on the flavours.

Pinot Noir is actually rather hard to grow as it is susceptible to all sorts of diseases and vine pests as well as slightly inclement weather. For this reason, you can have confidence that the best vintners with skill and experience to properly cultivate vines are making Pinot rather than those trying their luck. They of course exist, but it is in fact hard to find a Pinot below £8 because mass production simply doesn’t fly with this wine.

The best thing about Pinot Noir is its versatility in both still and sparkling wine. Often a component of Champagne, admittedly usually in smaller proportions than Chardonnay, it lends body and richness and a touch of red fruit character sometimes. A standout example of Pinot led Champagne is Veuve Clicquot, which has between 50-55% Pinot Noir, and is one of the richest styles of Champagne out there. It is also much loved for this reason.

Alternatively, you can experience a full Pinot Noir Champagne, known as a Blanc de Noirs as it is white in colour but made from black grapes. Simply the juice is used with as little skin contact as possible which is where the colour would come from. Waitrose have a delicious Waitrose Blanc de Noirs made by Alexandre Bonnet Champagne House which is usually about £27. A more premium one worth trying is the Besserat de Bellefon Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs, known for its intensity and exotic profile.

Still wines are of course the most common style you’ll find Pinot Noir in and there are an abundance stretching from France to Germany, even some English versions, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia and the American continents. Across all of these it is generally found that Pinot does best in cooler climates. Warmer countries such as Australia can produce very ripe fruited Pinot, but if grown in an area that is cool at night, the grape retains acidity and becomes a fresh yet plush style. Cooler French versions can be a little more austere, particularly ones from Burgundy, and often need time to age in bottle before they are at their best drinking window. English Pinot tends to be best when destined for fizz as arguably we aren’t quite warm enough yet to fully ripen red grapes, but global warming will certainly help that along. Below I’ll focus on the key Pinot producing countries and the best wines to try.

Chilean Pinot Noir

Starting in Chile, which produces some of the cheapest examples partly down to the excellent negotiating skills of their trade body, Pinot from here is generally more simple but very well crafted. Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir is a fantastic everyday Pinot which is remarkably soft and easy drinking. Upping the game a bit is the Duette which is lavishly smooth and has a good dollop of vanilla.

North American Pinot Noir

Moving to California, which has boomed in popularity for oaky styles of Pinot you’ll find Bread & Butter a perfect hit to match decadent desires with vanilla and toasty notes. A more premium example from the cool Carneros region is Domaine Carneros Avant Garde Pinot Noir, made by Champagne house Taittinger. It is much more akin to Burgundy Pinot with some wood spice and great ageing potential.

Canada also does some great Pinot but it does tend to be on the expensive side. Quails Gate from the Okanagan Valley is a lovely rollercoaster of complexity.

Australian Pinot Noir

Australian Pinot is generally very…well, Australian. It is big and bold and makes use of the sunny conditions for a really ripe wine. That said, the cooler regions do produce excellent wines. Yering Stations The Elms is a good mid-range one to try with rich red fruits and silky tannin. The prized Adelaide Hills produces premium stuff, including Shaw & Smith Pinot which is a very refined and a delicate example of cool climate Pinot Noir. Tasmania also produces quality Pinot due to its cool conditions. Check out the Jane Eyre Pinot Noir to go a little off-piste.

New Zealand Pinot Noir

New Zealand is the natural next step, and they produce a similar style to Australia. Oyster Bay have a very good entry level wine or you can improve with Villa Maria’s Cellar Select. Central Otago is the most famous spot in New Zealand for Pinot though. Cloudy Bay Te Wahi is a truly exceptional wine which is simultaneously dark, intense and elegant. Somewhat more affordable though, Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg is another great one to get your hands on.

German Pinot Noir

A brief stop in Germany which has an up-and-coming Pinot scene, or Spätburgunder as they call it. A personal favourite from Majestic is the Ernst Loosen Pfalz Pinot Noir with bright red fruits abounding.

French Pinot Noir

Finally, France, the home of Pinot Noir and historically the greatest producer. Stretching from the more affordable Southern French Pinot to Burgundy Grand Cru, there is something for everyone. Bouchard Aine et Fils Pinot is a regional wine from a prestigious Burgundy name that has all the winemaking expertise without the Burgundy price tag. It is really good value Pinot. Similarly, La Belle Angele is a regional wine with the best grapes picked from several regions allowing them to blend parcels and create a good value, balanced wine.

Then the Burgundy village selection filled with recognizable and less known names. Alexandre Gauvin Gevrey-Chambertin is from one of the better-known ones, known for their powerful, structured and long-lived wines. This wine is no exception and worth every penny. Vosne-Romanée is perhaps the one with the most famous Grand Crus and real celebratory wines to open after a long period of ageing. Domaine Sirugue Vosne Romanee is one of the better priced wines from here with silky tannin and expertly integrated, subtle oak.

The midpoint in Burgundy Pinot comes from the Cote Chalonnaise, specifically Givry and Mercurey. At good value is the Mercurey Louis Violland at around £22. Refined and refreshing, it even has some of the earthy notes expected of the Grand Crus.