By Nikki Scott
If you’ve been drinking wine at all in the last decade or so, you have probably noticed that a little grape called Pinot Noir has been getting an awful lot of attention. For this, we have Paul Giamatti and the ‘Sideways’ effect to thank. Back in 2004, no one could have confidently predicted that a quiet independent film about two wine nerds on a midlife-crisis-fueled road trip would have had a significant and lasting impact on an entire global industry. But in fact, studies have shown that in the aftermath of the movie’s success, sales in the United States and beyond of Merlot (the movie’s much-denigrated villainous variety) drastically dipped, while those of the main character’s beloved Pinot Noir skyrocketed.
Pinot Noir today remains universally adored, and can be found just about anywhere wine is made. When you taste a Pinot Noir, several things will almost always be true: it will be silky, smooth, light-to-medium-bodied, low in tannin, and full of red fruit flavor. But this adaptable yet finicky variety (known to winemakers the world over as “the heartbreak grape”), has more potential than most to express the local terroir — that is, a sense of the place in which it has been grown. Everything from sunlight to soil plays a role in the final flavor profile of a wine, so planting the same variety of grape in vastly different regions is inevitably going to produce a wide array of wine styles.
Any discussion of Pinot Noir must naturally begin with Burgundy, the region in France where it is widely believed to have originated, and where many wine lovers believe it reaches its apex of potential. This early ripening variety enjoys a long, cool growing season, and the Burgundian climate provides just that. The best of these wines can range from quite light in color and body, as in Chambolle-Musigny, to structured and powerful Pommard, and a healthy dose of acidity is always present, accompanied often by a streak of stony minerality. Though fruity flavors of strawberry and red cherry are often present, they are likely to be found alongside tart red fruits like pomegranate seed and cranberry, as well as some more savory notes like mushroom, autumn leaves, and even freshly turned earth. Except at the lowest end, Pinot Noir from Burgundy almost always benefits from bottle age, which increases the complexity of flavors and silkens the texture.
Our favorites from Burgundy:
Domaine Michel Gros Vosne Romanee, 2012
Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Lavaux St-Jacques,” 2013
Domaine Louis Jadot Le Musigny, 2014
If you meet a wine lover who isn’t a die-hard Burgundy fan, chances are that you have met a member of #teamcalifornia. While the long and sprawling state offers an impressive diversity of microclimates, there is an overall style of Pinot Noir in California that prevails due both to the influence of weather and of the current fashion. The warmer weather throughout the state leads to a richer, fuller, and fruitier style of wine, with darker red fruit that often veers into raspberry or black cherry territory, or picks up candied notes such as cherry cola or red licorice. These wines are higher in extract and alcohol and deeper in color than their Burgundian brethren. Additionally, the use of oak (especially new oak) is common here, which can mean fuller bodied wines, more sweet vanilla flavor, and even additional tannin. Some of the biggest, boldest examples are found in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, while lighter versions may be found in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley, the Carneros district which stretches between Sonoma and Napa, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Santa Ynez Valley.
Our favorites from California:
Domaine de la Côte “Bloom’s Field” Sta. Rita Hills, Pinot Noir, 2013
Williams Selyem Westside Road Neighbors, Pinot Noir, 2014
Anthill Farms Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir, 2013
For the Pinot lover who doesn’t want to choose sides, Oregon’s Willamette Valley does a fine job of straddling the line between the two styles. Cooler and greyer than California yet warmer than Burgundy, the wines here tend to have have the flavors of cranberries and earth common among their French cousins, but the riper texture of their neighbors to the south. With such intermediate conditions, the stylistic choice is often that of the winemaker rather than of mother nature.
Our Favorites from Oregon:
Big Table Farm Yamhill Carlton Pinot Noir, 2013
Domaine Serene “Evenstad Reserve”, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir 2012
Brooks Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2013
Meanwhile, in Germany, some seriously amazing Pinot Noir is being produced, most of which is drank by clever Germans who have cleverly decided to keep the good stuff for themselves. That which is imported, however, is absolutely worth seeking out. Most of it hails from the Baden region and thanks to a combination of climate change and more thoughtful winemaking, it has really improved a lot over the last couple of decades. Also known as Spätburgunder, it is light in color, high in acidity, and full of flavors and aromas of cinnamon and allspice, along with some notes of tart red fruit and earth that call to mind both Oregon and Burgundy.
Our favorites from Germany:
Falkenstein Spätburgunder Spätlese, Mosel, 2013
Friedrich Becker Estate Pinot Noir, Pfalz, 2011
New Zealand is better known for its Sauvignon Blanc, but you’re missing out if you’re not paying attention to the Pinot Noir. These are bright, pure, and fruit-forward in style, often with lots of minerality. Versions from Central Otago are often deep, dark, and dense, while Marlborough bottlings are more light and fresh, with an occasional herbal edge. Pinot from New Zealand is typically affordable, food-friendly, and impossible not to like.
Our favorites from New Zealand:
Rippon “Tinker’s Field,” Central Otago, Pinot Noir, 2012
Greywacke Marlborough, Pinot Noir, 2012
Seresin “Leah,” Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2012
Some other parts of the world producing excellent Pinot Noir include Chile, where it is fruity, friendly, and affordable, and Italy, where in the northeast regions of Alto Adige and Val d’Aoste it can be herbal and rustic. Further examples of this versatile grape’s potential can be found in France’s Loire Valley, upstate New York’s Finger Lakes, Argentina, Canada’s eastern and western coasts, and cooler regions of Australia, to name a few. There is something for just about every wine drinker within the world of Pinot Noir, and though it achieved its current renown in a rather unexpected way, it is safe to say the honor is well-deserved.