Pronounced: Pee-no Nwar
Pinot Noir is the classic black variety of Burgundy. It is a variety of Vitis Vinifera, the grape most commonly used in wine-making. It is widely considered to make some of the best wines in the world, although it is notoriously difficult to cultivate. It is grown all around the world, although nowhere else, with the exception of California, does it create such high-quality wines than in Burgundy.
Background
Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grapes to be grown for the purpose of wine-making. The Romans knew this grape as Helvenacia Minor, and made it into wine as early as the 1st century AD.
Around the World
Pinot Noir is recognised worldwide as a premier wine grape and has various alias depending on the country in which it is being grown. Pinot Noir is grown in Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria (Blaubergunder or Spatburgunder), Brasil, Canada, Croatia (Burgundac), Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany (Spatburgunder), Greece, Hungary, Italy (Pinot Nero), Mexico, New-Zealand, Switzerland (Clevner) and the United States.
Vinification
Almost every affliction known to affect vines is common amongst Pinot Noir Vineyards. Because Pinot Noir is one of the earliest-flowering varieties, it is susceptible to Spring frosts. Pinot Noir vines do not tend to produce many leaves, and therefore during the summer months there is little shade for the fruit. Pests such as birds therefore have easy access to the grapes, as does the sun’s rays which tend to dry out those that are un-shaded which end up with a raisiny aroma and neutral flavour.
The Pinot Noir grape has a thin skin, and therefore is highly susceptible to fungal diseases, and the vines themselves are prone to downy mildew, leaf roll and fanleaf. In the vineyard Pinot Noir is sensitive to light exposure, cropping levels, soil types and pruning techniques. In the winery, Pinot Noir is sensitive to fermentation methods, yeast strains and is very representative of its ‘terroir’, producing very different wines from region to region. Due to the exacting nature of this variety therefore, Pinot Noir has earned a reputation for being a particularly high maintenance grape which needs a lot of attention to reach its best.
Characteristics
Pinot Noir’s aroma is often one of the most complex of all varietals, with its broad range of bouquets, tastes and flavour often proving confusing to tasters. Generally it can be intense with a black-cherry, raspberry or currant aroma, interspersed with hints of mint and cinnamon. When young, the colour is that of garnet, much lighter than that of other reds. Having said this, Pinot Noirs produced in New Zealand and California can be much more powerful, fruit-forward and deep in colour, more reminiscent to Shiraz. When old, Pinot Noirs become much browner in colour, and can famously take on the character of rotting vegetables on the palate.
At its best it is full-bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic nor tannic with a great deal of flavour despite its delicacy.
Pinot Noir in Sparkling Wines
Pinot Noir is used in the production of Champagne, normally along with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, and is planted in most of the world’s wine-growing regions for use in both still and sparkling wines. Pinot Noir adds the backbone to Champagne, and can also appear unblended with other grapes in the form of blanc de noirs. When Pinot Noir is grown for sparkling wine-making, it is far higher-yielding than when grown for still-wine making. The Champagne region has more Pinot planted than any other region in France. |
