Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions and is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world. Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon who is often a survivor, Pinot Noir is a difficult varietal to cultivate and transform into wine.
The Pinot Noir grape cluster is small and cylindrical, vaguely shaped like a pine cone. Some viticultural historians believe this shape tolend to itsname as it tends to produce narrow trunks and branches. In the vineyard it is sensitive to light exposure, cropping levels (it must be low yielding), soil types and pruning techniques. In the winery it is sensitive to fermentation methods, yeast strains and is highly reflective of its terroir with different regions producing very different wines. Its thin skin makes it highly susceptible to bunch rot and other fungal diseases while the vines themselves are prone to downy mildew, leaf roll, and fanleaf.
The tremendously broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions that Pinot Noir can produce sometimes confuses tasters. In the broadest terms, the wine tends to be of light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant. The grape's color when young, often compared to that of garnet, is often much lighter than that of other red wines. However, an emerging style from the New World highlights a more powerful, fruit forward and darker wine.
It is also used in the production of Champagne (usually along with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier) and is planted in most of the world's wine growing regions for use in both still and sparkling wines. Pinot Noir grown for dry table wines is generally low-yielding and often difficult to grow well. Conversely, Pinot Noir grown for use in sparkling wines (e.g. Champagne) is generally higher yielding.
In addition to being used for the production of sparkling and still red wine, Pinot noir is also sometimes used for rosé still wines, and even vin gris white wines known as “Blanc de Noir”. In Germany, Pinot Noir is known as “Spaetburgunder”.
Throughout 2004 and the beginning of 2005, Pinot Noir became considerably more popular amongst consumers in the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia as a possible result of the movie Sideways. Being lighter in style, it has benefited from a rising trend toward more restrained and less alcoholic wines.
Robert Parker has described pinot noir in Parker's Wine Buying Guide:
