What is Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most popular red wine grapes. It can taste like a red wine but feel like a white. It is light bodied and elegant, with high acidity and very low tannin and this is one of the reasons why it is loved so much. Couple this with its beautiful silky texture and its flavour profile of spiced cherry, raspberry compote and earth, it’s no wonder why it is a fond favourite around the world.

Which Countries Produce Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir loves a cool climate and you can now find incredible bottles from many places around the globe. France produces a huge amount of it, with the majority coming from Burgundy, and since the 1990s Germany has also been producing some stunning bottles. The USA has some very exciting styles coming out of Oregon and California, and although not as widely known, there are many other countries around the world that produce some very good Pinot too, including the UK, New Zealand, Chile, Romania, Austria and Canada to name a few!

What is the Best Food to Pair with Pinot Noir?

Given its higher acidity and its low tannin, Pinot Noir pairs really well with many different dishes. For the fruitier versions, try it with fish, like salmon, or chicken, whereas, bolder Pinot Noirs work really well with pork, duck, beef stews and mushrooms.

Fun Facts about Pinot Noir

1. Pinot Noir is actually one of the three main grapes used in Champagne, along with Chardonnay and the lesser-known Pinot Meunier!

2. Pinot Noir is one of just a few red grapes that is commonly made into red, rosé, white and sparkling wine!

Which Pinot Noir Should I Try?

There are so many bottles to choose from it was hard to stick to just these five, but here is a mix ranging from classic Pinot Noir to some lesser-known regions that are certainly worth checking out!

France: Volnay Domaine Cyrot-Buthiau 2017

If it’s red and from Burgundy (aka Bourgogne) the chances are it is going to be Pinot Noir. The best ones need a few years of age on them to develop but this one is ok to drink now. Think spicy cherry, lavender and marzipan. It’s delicate, earthy, understated and old school in style.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Find here: £35.95

California: Sebastiani

The fog-cooled parts of coastal California give their Pinots softness, while that ripe, sweet, juicy fruit still shines through. They’re all about strawberries and cream on a bed of red velvet. Look for some from Russian River Valleys and Sonoma County like this bottle, Sebastiani.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.8%
Find here: UK £25 //US $14.99

New Zealand: Escarpment

New Zealand is Pinot’s most famous (arguably) New World home. Here, it’s slightly easier drinking and fruity, yet serious. The concentrated, savoury red fruit and cinnamon notes have won hearts and palates worldwide. Head to Central Otago, Martinborough and Marlborough for great ones.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Find here: £22.49

England: Bolney Estate Pinot Noir

English still wine used to be a bit of a joke, but nowadays, we’re finding that many serious producers are looking to the key Champagne grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for their still wines and gaining globally award-winning results. The Bolney Estate Pinot Noir has won multiple awards internationally and this bottle, with its soft, velvety red fruit, hints of earth and coffee beans with a touch of chocolate dipped cherry on the finish is definitely one to try.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £17.99

Romania: Sanziana Pinot Noir Recas Cramele

Romania has a talent for making excellent, inexpensive, seriously easy-drinking, cherry-bomb wines from Pinot Noir. Don’t expect the complexity of Burgundy, but for under £10 this is brilliant value. Keep an eye out for the other great Pinots popping up all the time.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Find here: £8.50

If you enjoyed this then why not check out these great Proseccos for under £15! Or, how about checking out these Stunning Rosé Wines?!

Thursday Club with Talk Radio: Unusual Pinot Noir

Thirsty Thursday means it’s time for the Thursday Club on talkRADIO! This week, it’s about Pinot Noir - ‘the heartbreak grape’, so named because due to its thin skin, it's very difficult to grow to its best potential and has caused many a winemaker nights of lost sleep. When conditions are right and it goes well however, it makes wonderful, elegant, aromatic wine. 

Today’s Pinot Noirs are a little different as they are not from places you might necessarily expect and certainly not from the most famous regions for them, namely Burgundy in France, Champagne and California. Welcome to a Pinot Noir fine Wine special. 

Sancerre Rouge ‘Les Champs Clos’ Pinot Noir, 2019 FRANCE

Sancerre is always white, right? Wrong! While the majority of Sancerre wine is white, 20% of wine production there is actually red and it will be made with the Pinot Noir grape. Mind blown? I thought so. Sancerre is a region in France’s cool climate Loire Valley and it is the spiritual home of the white grape Sauvignon Blanc (White Sancerre = Sauvignon), but it suits a cool and elegant style of Pinot too. Think floral notes of violet with crunchy, red cherry and berry fruit and a moreish, tart acidity. 

Find it at Sainsbury’s here for £11.50

Bolney Estate Pinot Noir, 2020, Sussex, ENGLAND

English still wine used to be a bit of a joke, with germanic varieties producing wines that were at once screeching high in acidity yet also too sweet. Nowadays, we’re finding that many serious producers are looking to the key champagne grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for their still wines and having much better results - globally award-winning results in fact. The founders of Bolney Estate had the foresight to plant back in 1972 in Haywards Heath, West Sussex as only the 6th commercial vineyard in the country. Now, the winemaking team is lead by the daughter of the founders, Sam Linter. Her Pinot Noir has won multiple awards internationally and the 2020 is just released, with its soft, velvety red fruit, hints of earth and coffee beans with a touch of chocolate dipped cherry on the finish. 

You can also visit Bolney for a wonderful day out. They have tours, tastings, a bar, a lovely restaurant and an event space available to book. When we can do that again!

Find it at Waitrose Cellar here for £17.99 and Bolneywineestate.com

Akitu, Central Otago, New Zealand

Pinot Noir is one of the very few red grapes that is frequently used to make white wine. The most common version of this is of course in Champagne and sparkling wine; it's much less common to see still, white Pinot Noir like this one. Hailing from just beside Lake Wanaka on 250 million year old schist soils in New Zealand’s Central Otago, lots of sunshine and dry autumns give amazing fruit purity and complexity. The delicate pink gives away the grape’s red skin and subtle notes of raspberry, white chocolate, honeysuckle, citrus and mandarin. There’s also a proper, creamy texture that makes this a silky, serious white wine.

Find it here at The Champagne Company for £32