Pinot Noir

The red grape Pinot Noir makes some of the world’s greatest and most sought after red wines. It is the main red grape in the vineyards of Burgundy and Champagne and is widely considered to be the heart break grape as it is difficult to grow well. Though its home is in Burgundy France, some New World regions, particularly Oregon in the USA and Central Otago in New Zealand, have succeeded in producing excellent examples.

Pinot Noir makes a relatively pale red wine as it is a thin skinned grape. Despite the lack of colour, the wines are intensely perfumed and flavourful. A young Pinot Noir smells of fresh crushed raspberries, strawberries, plum jam. As Pinot Noirs age, they begin to reveal aromas of violets, game or truffles. Pinot Noir is rarely blended when it is to be made into a red. However, in Champagne, it’s often blended with Chardonnay and another red grape called Pinot Meunier and produces some of the world’s finest sparkling wines.