Ch08 Pinot Noir Flashcards
Pinot Noir grape characteristics
- Fussy, difficult to grow, easy to drink
- Thin skins, light in colour, low to medium tannin
Pinot Noir Climates
- Moderate or cool climates
- Too cool - grape won’t ripen = excessive vegetal (cabbage, wet leaves)
- Hot regions - excessively jammy
Typical flavours of Pinot Noir
Red fruit (Strawberry, raspberry, cherry) and some vegetal (wet leaves, mushroomy, gamey) with age
Ageing Pinot Noir
- Some develop great complexity with age - except for the best from Burgundy and other regions, best when young and fruity
- Common to age in oak - but the toast and vanilla of new oak can overpower the variety’s delicate flavours
Most Pinot Noirs are best consumed:
When they are young
Pinot Noir French Regions
- Bourgogne AC
- Cote de Nuits
• Gevrey-Chambertin
• Nuits-Saint-Georges - Cote de Beaune
• Beaune
• Pommard
Characteristics of Bourgogne AC Pinot Noir
- Medium Body + Light Tannins + Medium to High Acidity
- Balance of Red Fruits + Savoury
Describe Pinot Noir Premier Cru and Grand Crus and give an example
- More intensity, complexity and length especially those from Premier Cru sites within the villages.
- Grand Cru (Le Chambertin) = most powerful, long lived and complex = expensive
Bourgogne Labelling
- Regional (Bourgogne AC)
- Commune/Villages (Beaune, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges)
- Premier Cru
- Grand Cru
Domaine = producer makes own wine exclusively from grapes grown in his vineyard
German Spatburgunder Regions
Pfalz (south region)
Baden (south region)
Describe German Spatburgunder styles (typical and other)
- Cool climate
- Typically Light body + Perfumed red berry + Light tannin
- Fuller bodied, barrel aged styles also made
New Zealand Pinot Noir Regions
Central Otago
Marlborough
Describe general New Zealand Pinot Noir
More full bodied + Less Acidity + More intense fruits than Burgundy
Spicy + Red Fruit (cherry, strawberry)
Describe New Zealand Pinot Noir styles in Central Otago and Marlborough
Central Otago
- Ripest, most intense
Marlborough
- Lighter style and much of it made into sparkling wine
How is a New Zealand Pinot Noir different than a Burgundian Pinot Noir
It is lower acidity, with more intense fruit and its more full bodied. Spicy notes may go with the red fruit flavours.
Australian Pinot Noir Regions
Most of Australia too hot, some premium wines made where cooled by ocean or altitude
- Yarra Valley
- Mornington Peninsula (both near Victoria)
Stye of Australian Pinot Noir
Style can range from light and delicate with fragrant aromas, to richer fruit (strawberry, plum, dark cherry) + Riper tannin
Name two places in Australia that make Pinot Noir
Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula
Pinot Noir in USA Regions
California (Most of California too warm)
- Carneros
- Sonoma
- Santa Barbera
Oregon
Describe characteristics of California Pinot Noir
- Full Bodied + Intense Fruit
- Red fruit (red cherry, strawberry)
- Some have pronounced Animal + Vegetal (leather, meat, wet leaves)
Oregon Pinot Noir characteristics
- Moderate climate (more suitable)
- Very High Quality
South African Pinot Noir
Walker Bay (coastal) High Quality - Small Quantities
Pinot Noir in Chile
- Casablanca
- San Antonio
Intensely fruity + Strawberry Jam
What are the key facts of Pinot Noir ?
- Needs cool to moderate climate
- Is a thin skin variety with low level of tannins and light colour
- Mostly best consumed when young and fruity
BULK Pinot Noir
Few inexpensive sources because it’s tricky to grow
Most that produce inexpensive large volumes are too hot for the varietal
- California Central Valley
- Murray-Darling, Australia
- Pays d’Oc, France
- Chile produces soft fruit style that’s inexpensive
Pinot Noir in BLENDS
Finest STILL wines are unblended
- Blended in Champagne
- Burgundy - a few obscure exceptions are blended with Gamay but red Burgundy is mostly 100% Pinot
