Chapter 8 -Pinot Noir

Question 1

Describe the Pinot Noir grape

Answer 1

Black grape variety with thin skins. It is a very fussy grape

Question 2

What is notable about the skins of the PN grape and what does this result in?

Answer 2

Thin skins and the resulting winds are light in colour with low to medium tannins.

Question 3

What climate does PN prefer? What is the result of overly cool climates?

Answer 3

Moderate or cool climate.

Overly cool climates: grapes will not ripen and the wines will have excessive vegetables flavours (cabbage, wet leaves).

Question 4

What flavours would you expect of a region with the right climatic balance?

Answer 4

Red fruit (strawberry, cherry, raspberry) and develop vegetal and animal nuances (wet leaves, mushroom, gamey-meaty aromas) with age.

Question 5

What happens to PN in hot regions?

Answer 5

Loses its delicate flavours and becomes excessively jammy

Question 6

What are the ageing prospects for PN?

Answer 6

Some develop great complexity however only the best from Burgundy and some premium sites elsewhere benefit from ageing. Most should be consume youthful while fruity.

Question 7

Oak?

Answer 7

It is common to mature the best in oak but the toast and vanilla of new oak can easily overpower the delicate flavours

Question 8

What Is the premium region for PN in France?

Answer 8

Burgundy (Bourgogne) where the grapes fussiness is most exploited and variety can be seen from village to village. Each village therefore has its own appellation

Question 9

What would you expect of a Bourgogne AC?

Answer 9

Should be medium bodied red with a balance of red fruit and savoury aromas, light tannins and medium to high acidity.

Question 10

What do the villages like Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuit-Saint-Georges; Baune and Pommard offer?

Answer 10

More intensity, complexity and length particularly those from premiere cru sites.

Question 11

What is a Grand Cru Red Burgundy?

Answer 11

Le Chambertin.

These are the most powerful, long lived and complex PN wines in the world

Question 12

Describe Germany’s PN production

Answer 12

Germany produces large numbers of PN mainly in the southern regions of Pfalz and Baden.

Question 13

Describe the style of PNs from Pfalz and Baden

Answer 13

Cool climate PNs with light body and pronounced, perfumed red berry fruit and light tannins. Fuller bodied, barrel-aged styles are also made.

Question 14

What are the main wine producing regions in red Burgundy?

Answer 14

Côte de units - including Gevrey-chambertin, nuit-saint-georges
Côte de Baune - including Baune and pommard

Question 15

What is the appellation hierarchy in Burgundy?

Answer 15

Regional (E.g. Bourgogne AC)
Village (E.g. Baune, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges)
Première Cru (E.g. Baune 1ère Cru)
Grand Cru (E.g. Le Chambertin GC)

Question 16

What does the word “domaine” on a label indicate?

Answer 16

Indicates the producer made the wine exclusively from their own vineyards.

Other wines, where they producer bought grapes, juice or complete wine to sell under their label, are négociant/merchant wines but this rarely appears on the label.

Question 17

What character would you expect of a NZ Pinot Noir?

Answer 17

More full bodied with lower acidity and more intense fruit than Burgundy. Spice notes often accompany the red fruit flavours.

Question 18

What are the main NZ PN regions and what characters would you expect from each?

Answer 18

Central Otago- ripest and most intense NZ PN

Marlborough - lighter style, much fruit is used for Sparkling

Question 19

What is the Australian PN market like? What would expect of Australian PN?

Answer 19

Most regions are too hot for Pinot Noir although some premium quality wines are being made in areas with cooling ocean breezes or altitude like the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula. The style varies from light and delicate with fragrant aromas to richer fruit flavours (strawberry, plum, dark cherry) and more structured, riper tannins.

Question 20

What is the main area for PN in the USA? What are the subregions? What would you expect of them?

Answer 20

California
Carneros, cooler parts of Sonoma, Santa Barbara counties.
Full bodied, intensely fruity, with red fruit flavours (strawberry, red cherry) but some display pronounced animal and vegetal characteristics (leather, meat, wet leaves).

Oregon also has a suitably moderate climate for some very high quality PNs

Question 21

What areas of Chile produce PN? What would you expect in them?

Answer 21

Casablanca, San Antonio

Intensely fruity often with strawberry jam flavours

Question 22

What area in South Africa makes high quality PNs in small quantities?

Answer 22

Walker Bay, coastal sites

Question 23

What regions produce inexpensive bulk PN?

Answer 23

California’s Central Valley, Australia (Murray Darling), Pays d’Oc IGP are all too hot!

Chile is successfully making some which are soft and fruity

Question 24

Is PN blended?

Answer 24

Not commonly. Occasionally with Gamay in Burgundy and sometimes a component in Champagne however red Burgundy nearly always be 100% PN