Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a black grape, happiest in cool to moderate climates, with high acidity, and low to medium tannins.
Colour
Black grape
Climate
Cool, Moderate
Acidity
High
Tannin
Low to Medium
Oak
Careful use of oak
How it tastes
Worth knowing
- Thin skin
- Typically single varietal
- Used to make sparkling wines
Where it grows best
Australia
Southeastern Australia, Mornington Peninsula
A cool, maritime peninsula yielding perfumed, savoury Pinot with fresh red-cherry and forest-floor notes, fine silky tannins and lively acidity that keeps the wine elegant rather than weighty.
Australia
Southeastern Australia, Yarra Valley
Cool-climate Yarra fruit gives bright, fragrant reds led by raspberry and red plum, with supple tannins, refreshing acidity and a gentle savoury, spicy edge from restrained oak.
Chile
Casablanca Valley
Coastal fog and ocean breezes slow ripening here, producing juicy strawberry-and-cherry Pinot with crisp acidity, soft tannins and an approachable, fruit-forward charm at attractive prices.
France
Burgundy
Pinot Noir's spiritual home, where village and regional bottlings show pure red-berry fruit, earthy undertones and bright acidity, framed by the firm but fine tannins that define classic Burgundy.
France
Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Beaune, Beaune
Premier Cru vineyards ringing the town give silky, mid-weight reds of red cherry and soft spice, balancing perfume and structure with gentle tannins and graceful, food-friendly poise.
France
Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
The sturdiest reds of the Côte de Beaune: deeper-coloured, firmly tannic Pinot built on dark cherry and earthy spice, rewarding several years of cellaring to soften.
France
Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin
Powerful, structured Côte de Nuits Pinot with concentrated black-cherry fruit, a meaty, gamey depth and grippy tannins that demand patient ageing toward real complexity and length.
France
Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges
Robust, earthy reds with dark-berry fruit and a savoury, forest-floor character; firmer tannins and good concentration make these among the longer-lived villages of the Côte de Nuits.
New Zealand
North Island, Martinborough
Wairarapa's flagship grape produces dense, savoury Pinot with ripe dark cherry, herbal-spice complexity and firm tannins, often regarded among the most structured and age-worthy in New Zealand.
New Zealand
South Island, Central Otago
The country's warmest, most continental Pinot site delivers bold, deeply coloured reds bursting with ripe cherry and dark plum, fuller-bodied with rounded tannins and a flourish of supporting oak.
New Zealand
South Island, Marlborough
Beyond its famous whites, Marlborough makes bright, fruit-driven Pinot showing fresh red cherry and plum, soft tannins and zesty acidity, generally lighter and earlier-drinking than Central Otago.
South Africa
Western Cape, Walker Bay
Cooled by Atlantic breezes around Hemel-en-Aarde, this is South Africa's benchmark Pinot zone, giving vivid red-fruited, perfumed wines with fresh acidity, fine tannins and a subtle savoury edge.
USA
California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Cool, fog-funnelled coastal valleys here ripen Pinot generously into plush, full-flavoured reds of strawberry and red cherry, with a smooth texture and sweet vanilla-spice lift from new oak.
USA
California, Northern California, Carneros
Straddling Napa and Sonoma, fog-cooled Carneros yields ripe yet poised Pinot with red-cherry and pomegranate fruit, brisk acidity and a savoury, faintly spiced earthiness underneath.
USA
California, Northern California, Sonoma
From foggy Russian River and coastal sites, Sonoma crafts generous, fruit-rich Pinot brimming with black cherry and cola spice, broad supple tannins and a polished, well-judged oak frame.
USA
Oregon
Cool, marginal Willamette Valley conditions give Oregon its elegant, layered Pinot, marrying fresh red fruit with bright acidity, fine tannins and gentle smoky, clove-like nuances from restrained oak.
Compare it with
Cabernet Sauvignon 
Merlot 
Syrah / Shiraz Drill Pinot Noir until it sticks
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