Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir can make some of the world's greatest wines. It is the principal black grape of Burgundy and Champagne yet it comes way down the list of the most widely planted international varieties. Why? Due to its capricious nature. This fussy grape only shows the full extent of its amazingly fragrant, breathtaking complexity under idyllic conditions — such as you find in Burgundy in outstanding vintages. Producers all over the world have tried to emulate such wines for decades, but few succeed. Some of the more successful attempts come from New Zealand, Oregan, California and Tasmania.
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Colorful New Zealand Pinot Noir grapes
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Pinot Noir is the palest of serious reds. Yet what it lacks in color, it makes up for in other ways. In youth, it reminds the drinker of fresh, ripe strawberries or raspberries ... as it matures, of violets, truffles and game.
