6 Pinot Noir

Question 1

Pinot Noir GI

Answer 1

France: Bourgogne/Burgundy, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Beaune, Pommard

USA: California (Sonoma, Carneros, Santa Barbara County), Oregon

Chile: Casablanca Valley

South Africa: Walker Bay

Australia: Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula

New Zealand: Martinborough, Marlborough, Central Otago

Question 2

Pinot Noir Climate

Answer 2

Cool

Moderate

Question 3

Is Pinot noir thick-skinned or thin-skinned?

Answer 3

Thin-skinned

Question 4

What happens to the flavors of Pinot Noir if it’s grown in a climate that’s too warm?

Answer 4

Flavors will lose their fresh fruit flavours, and taste unattractively cooked.

Question 5

Is Pinot Noir considered very hardy or is it prone to rot and disease?

Answer 5

Pinot Noir is prone to rot and disease, primarly because of its thin skin.

Question 6

Pinot Noir

2,5,6,8(Age),9,10

Answer 6

2 Pale to Medium

5 High

6 Low to Medium

8 Red fruit flavours (Strawberry, Raspberry, Red cherry)

Range from fresh to cooked depending on the ripeness of the grapes.

Age = Forest floor, Mushroom

My take several years to show their full potential.

9 Lightly oaked

10 Single (Some sparkling wines such as Champagne can be blended.)

Question 7

Oak aging for Pinot Noir is most often done in ___ barrels.

What flavours does it add?

Answer 7

Large and/or old barrels

Because small, new-oak barrels can overwhelm the delicately flavour of Pinot Noir. and larger/older barrels are often used as they impart less flavour.

Smoke, Cloves

Question 8

Burgandy Climate

Answer 8

Cool in the North to moderate further South

Question 9

In Burgundy, which direction do the best vineyards face?

Why?

Answer 9

South and southeast

To take benefit from extra sunlight and are capable of producing concentrated and complex wines stable for bottle aging.

Question 10

The most celebrated vineyards of Burgundy are found in a particular part of the region called the ______.

This is divided into 2 sections: a northern half and a southern half.

What are the names of those 2 sections?

Answer 10

Côte d’Or

Northern half: Côte de Nuits

(Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges)

Southern half: Côte de Beaune

(Beaune, Pommard)

Question 11

Bourgogne Pinot Noir

3,5,6,8

Answer 11

3 Light to Medium

5 High

6 Low

8 Fresh red fruit

Question 12

List the appellation hierarchy of Burgundy from lowest to highest.

Answer 12

Bourgogne AOC

Village

Premier Cru

Grand Cru

Question 13

Describe the differences between a Bourgogne AOC wine and a Village wine.

Answer 13

Bourgogne AOC will show lighter body, less intensity, and less longevity vs. a wine at the Village level.

Village wines show flavor intensity, good complexity and length.

Most Village-level vines are planted in vineyards with better-draining soils and beneficial slopes and aspect vs. Bourgogne AOC vines.

Question 14

Name 2 famous villages for Pinot Noir in the Côte de Nuits.

Answer 14

Gevrey-Chambertin AOC

Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC

Question 15

Name 3 famous villages for Pinot Noir in the Côte de Beaune.

Answer 15

Pommard AOC

Beaune AOC

Question 16

How do Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines compare with Village and Bourgogne AOC wines?

Answer 16

Premier and Grand Cru wines are the best of the best. They are the most complex, the most concentrated, the most intense wines with the greatest potential for aging.

These wines command exceptionally high prices due to their quality and rarity.

Question 17

Which area in California is the best for Pinot Noir?

Answer 17

Near the coast where it’s cooler.

Fog and coastal breezes help keep these coastal areas cool.

Question 18

Morning fog created by this body of water cools down Carneros.

Answer 18

San Pablo Bay

Question 19

Western part of Sonoma is cooled by ___.

Answer 19

Pacific ocean breezes

Question 20

Santa Barbara County is cooled by ___.

Answer 20

Sea breezes coming from the west and south

Question 21

Describe the main differences between Pinot Noir from Oregon and Pinot Noir from California.

Answer 21

California：

Ripe red fruits

Higher use of new oak (vanilla)

Oregon：

Fresh red fruits

Subtle use of oak (clove, smoke)

Question 23

Climate of Oregon compared to California.

Answer 23

It is cooler and has a mostly moderate climate (Due to its northerly latitude and exposure to the Pacific ocean).

Question 24

Casablanca Valley is cooled by___ and ___.

Answer 24

Sea breezes

Morning fog

Question 25

Pinot Noir wines from Casablanca Valley often have flavour of ___.

Answer 25

Cooked strawberries

Question 26

Pinot Noir production in South Africa is focused where:

Answer 26

Coolest coastal regions.

Walker Bay is known for its Pinot Noir.

Question 27

In Walker Bay, strong ___ encourage vibrant ___ flavours.

Answer 27

southerly sea breezes

red-fruit

Question 28

Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are cooled by ___.

Answer 28

Southern Ocean

The style of wine here can vary.

Question 29

Where in New Zealand creates New Zealand’s ripest and most powerfully flavoured Pinot Noir?

Answer 29

Central Otago

Question 30

Why does Central Otago make some of New Zealand’s most powerful Pinot Noir?

Answer 30

Central Otago is protected from sea breezes and rains by a ring of mountains. The vines experience intensity sunny days followed by cool nights.

Question 31

Central Otago Pinot Noir

3,6,8,9

Answer 31

3 Medium to Full

6 Medium

8 Red fruit (Strawberry, Red cherry)

9 Oaked