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PINOT NOIR: THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY
Pinot Noir
The agony and the ecstasy
Cherished for its elegance and versatility, the Pinot Noir grape produces a spectrum of wines that reflect the terroir and winemaking philosophy of renowned regions worldwide, writes Melissa Parker.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Pinot Noir from Burgundy sold for a record-breaking $558,000 at a Sotheby’s auction – the highest price ever paid for a bottle of wine.
The agony, however, is rooted in its notorious difficulty in the vineyard. Pinot Noir is famously challenging to cultivate, demanding the utmost skill from winemakers to reveal its ecstatic qualities.
Climate change however may be moving the dial for Pinot Noir as regions previously deemed too cold are now within ripening reach of producing the elusive grape. Delving into the fascinating world of the elusive Pinot Noir grape involves exploring the contrasts between its Old World and New World terroir expressions.
OLD WORLD
Old World Pinot Noirs are celebrated for their subtlety, complexity, and expression of terroir. Steeped in history and traditional winemaking practice.
Burgundy
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s oldest grape varieties, and evidence suggests it existed in its spiritual home of Burgundy, France, as far back as fourth century AD. Burgundy represents the pinnacle of Pinot Noir grape and terroir. Burgundy’s Pinot Noir is celebrated for its terroir-driven winemaking delivering elegance, finesse, and capacity to age gracefully.
Marked by its limestone-rich soils, Burgundian Pinot Noirs express a distinct minerality and structure. A mosaic of micro-terroirs offers diverse flavour profiles within a relatively small geographic area. This specificity in Burgundy terroir is classified into Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Village wines, with each reflecting the nuanced expression of Pinot Noir from different microclimates and locales.
The climate in Burgundy is cool continental with cold winters and warm summers, playing a crucial role in the ripening process of the Pinot Noir grape. The cool climate preserves the grape’s acidity while allowing for a slow and gradual ripening process, essential for development of the delicate and complex aromas for which Burgundy Pinot Noir is famous.
Burgundy’s winemaking techniques further elevate its status as the global benchmark for Pinot Noir. Traditional methods, such as hand harvesting and minimal intervention in the cellar, respect the grape’s purity and terroir expression. Fermentation practices often involve natural yeasts, while ageing in French oak barrels delivers subtle spice and enhances the wine’s complexity.
Germany
Spätburgunder, the German name for Pinot Noir, has gained significant recognition in the global wine community for its high quality and distinctive characteristics. Could the shaping of German Pinot Noir be attributed to the warming of the otherwise cold region renowned for its fresh and acid-driven white wines? German Spätburgunder is often characterised by vibrant acidity, delicate red fruit flavours such as cherry and raspberry, and minerality that reflects the unique terroir of Germany’s Pinot Noir producing regions.
Compared to Burgundy styles, German Spätburgunder leans toward lighter body and colour, with more pronounced acidity and less oak influence, resulting in fresher, more elegant wines. While Burgundy Pinot Noirs are known for their complexity, depth, and ageing potential that delivers earthy and mushroom characters, German Spätburgunder is renowned for its purity of fruit and drinkability when young.
In recent years, trends in German Spätburgunder production has leaned towards lower yields and more sustainable viticulture practices, leading to higher-quality grapes. This dedication to quality has been recognised by wine critics and consumers leading to a surge in popularity and higher demand for German Spätburgunder.
German Spätburgunder is really getting its time in the sun – literally. A quality revolution is happening for German Pinot Noir. With its emphasis on purity, elegance, and terroir expression, coupled with a growing number of high-quality producers, German Spätburgunder is set to be a Pinot Noir style worth watching.
NEW WORLD
New World Pinot Noirs are appreciated for their fruit-forward character, approachability, and bold flavours driven by regional variations, innovative winemaking practices and evolving consumer trends. Key regions in Australia, New Zealand, and the US showcase these unique expressions, reflecting their terroirs and winemaking philosophies.
Australia
In Australia, the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Orange in New South Wales and Tasmania are prominent Pinot Noir regions.
The Yarra Valley, with its cool climate produces Pinot Noirs of elegance and finesse. Winemakers here often employ whole-bunch fermentation, minimal intervention and winemaking techniques such as carbonic maceration to emphasise purity of the fruit.
Yarra Valley producers such as De Bortoli aim to produce Pinot Noirs with detail and charm over richness and depth of colour.
Chief Winemaker Steve Webber says there is a collective feeling in the Yarra Valley toward picking grapes of optimal physiological ripeness.
“We utilise whole berry fermentation to preserve fruit purity with some use of whole bunches for complexity and interest; minimal plunging and gentle pump overs to preserve the aromatics,” Webber says.
Other notable regions include the Mornington Peninsula for its maritime influence, producing wines with bright acidity and delicate, complex flavours and Tasmania, the coolest region, producing Pinot Noirs of vibrant acidity, intense fruit concentration, and longevity. Tasmanian sub-regions such as Coal Valley and the Derwent Valley and producers such as Domaine A and Frogmore Creek create outstanding examples.
Further north in New South Wales, the volcanic soils and cool climate in Orange produce Burgundian style Pinot Noirs of game, mushroom and earth. Charles Simons, General Manager and Viticulturist at Mayfield Vineyards, says Pinot Noir is on trend because consumers are choosing lighter alcohol styles and moving away from heavier reds.
“Pinot Noir is always lighter alcohol. We make
elegant Pinot Noirs that show great character and flavour. I’m a strong believer in carbonic maceration too. Pinot Noir from Orange ages as gracefully as comparable wines from Burgundy at a fraction of the cost,” says Simons.
Western Australia is not typically a region that produces Pinot Noir, however Castle Rock Estate in the sub-region of Porongurup Range creates a diverse range of expressions.
Winemakers Rob Diletti and Sam Palmer have found burgeoning interest in Porongurup Pinot Noirs and agree there is a “gradual move away from fuller bodied and overly extracted reds towards reds of medium to light body containing more freshness and site expression.”
Tom Ward, Owner and Winemaker at Swinging Bridge Wines in Orange agrees: “High alcohol and extractive Pinots are a thing of the past and I think Pinot Noir of brightness and structure is the future.”
Swinging Bridge makes Pinot Noir cultivated in ancient volcanic soils with a high clay component. Ward’s top Pinots ripen on south facing cool late ripening slopes, and he has also spent much time researching the best clones to use to produce the best Pinot and leans toward MV6, 777, 667, 115 and the Abel clone.
Ward says Pinot Noir is made in the vineyard. “Pinot Noir takes the most time in the vineyard, the viticulture is hard,” he says.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s Pinot Noir regions, particularly Martinborough, Marlborough, and Central Otago, are renowned for their unique styles. At the southern tip of the North Island, Martinborough produces structured and savoury Pinot Noirs with dark fruit, earthy undertones, and firm tannins. The region’s cool, dry climate and gravelly soils contribute to this distinctive character.
Marlborough, known for Sauvignon Blanc production, is increasingly recognised for its Pinot Noir. The region’s wines are typically lighter, with red fruit flavours, herbal notes, and bright, refreshing acidity. Central Otago, the southernmost wine region, is famous for its bold, fruit-driven Pinot Noirs. The continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters, results in wines with ripe plum, cherry, and spice flavours, supported by a robust structure and vibrant acidity.
United States
In the US, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and California’s Sonoma and Santa Barbara counties are key Pinot Noir regions. Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs are celebrated for their elegance, with red fruit, floral notes, and a refined, earthy complexity. The region’s cool climate and diverse soils provide an ideal environment for producing balanced, age-worthy wines.
Sonoma County, particularly the Russian River Valley, produces rich and opulent Pinot Noirs with dark fruit, cola, and spice characteristics. The region’s foggy mornings and warm afternoons create a unique microclimate that enhances the development of complex flavours. Santa Barbara, influenced by the Pacific Ocean, produces wines with bright acidity, red fruit, and a distinct minerality, often employing whole-cluster fermentation to add depth and structure.
New World Pinot Noir showcases diverse styles shaped by regional variations and innovative winemaking as market trends evolve. While the wines of Burgundy will always sit at the pinnacle of Pinot Noir production globally, they are certainly getting a run for their money as producing regions such as Germany lift the game, and the Pinot Noirs of Australia, New Zealand and the US, as well as other emerging regions including Patagonia in Argentina and parts of Eastern Europe are experimenting with unique terroir expressions.
Cult Spätburgunders
Emerging producers in Germany have been central in elevating the profile of Spätburgunder. Winemakers such as Bernard Huber (distributed in Australia by Cellarhand) in Baden are gaining international acclaim for their exceptional Spätburgunders while Sven Enderle and Florian Moll also in Baden, pioneered an artisanal natural style of Spätburgunder specialising in specific sites (distributed in Australia by Vinous).
Jancis Robinson labelled them a ‘new cult producer.’ Boutique producers and a new generation of innovative winemakers are pushing the boundaries of what German Pinot Noir can achieve, experimenting with organic and biodynamic practices and minimal intervention winemaking techniques.
Clonal Selection
Two of Pinot Noir’s interesting characteristics are its propensity to mutate (consider Pinot Gris, Blanc, and Meunier) and to degenerate (consider the number of Pinot Noir clones available).
In France alone, more than 50 Pinot Noir clones are recognised and officially catalogued by the French wine authorities. In today’s world of viticulture, the benefits of Pinot Noirs bent for cloning is the advantages such as exploring and developing clonal selection and hybrid varieties more resilient to disease and climate change.
They are also selected for yield, and unique flavours, and aromas. Notable clones include 115 for its colour, tannin, and complexity, 777 for its black fruit aromas, flavours, and structure, and 828 for high yields and disease resistance.
Winemaking innovations and market trends
New World winemakers are at the forefront of innovation, experimenting with techniques such as whole-bunch fermentation, wild yeast fermentation, sustainable practices and climate change adaptation.
Climate change adaptation is a key issue for the cultivation of Pinot Noir, with producers increasingly focusing on climate change adaptation strategies, such as selecting vineyards at higher altitudes or cooler regions to maintain the ideal growing conditions for the fickle grape.
The rise of premium and single-vineyard offerings reflects a demand for higher quality and more distinctive wines, driving producers to focus on terroir-driven expressions and artisanal craftsmanship. Consumers also seek out more specific expressions and single-vineyard wines.
Minimal intervention winemaking, including the production of natural wines with low or no sulphites to allow the true fruit characters to shine.
Stylistically Pinot Noir is on trend as consumers seek lighter styles of red with lower alcohol content as they move away from high-alcohol heavily extracted styles.
