Pinot noir (French: [pino nwaʁ]) is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the grape variety's tightly clustered dark purple pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit.
Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.
Pinot Noir
| Colour | Black |
|---|---|
| Also called | Blauburgunder, Spätburgunder, Rulandské modré |
| Major regions | Burgundy, Champagne, California (Russian River Valley), Marlborough, Central Otago, Oregon, Casablanca Valley, Ahr, Romania, Tasmania, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley |
| Notable wines | Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges |
| Ideal soil | Chalky clay |
| Wine characteristics | |
| General | Light tannins |
| Cool climate | Cabbage, wet leaves |
| Medium climate | Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, mushroom, meaty |