Pinot Noir Prestige: Dominating 7 of the World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Wines

Pinot Noir: One of the Oldest Grape Varieties in the World

There is a theory that the term ‘Pinot’ in Pinot Noir comes from the word ‘Pine,’ as the berries of Pinot Noir resemble pine cones. ‘Noir’ means black in French, so you can think of Pinot Noir as grapes that look like black pine cones.

There’s also a theory that ‘Pinot’ might originate from a place name. In the Puy de Dome region of Auvergne, France, there’s a village called Pignols where Pinot has been cultivated since the Middle Ages.

Pinot is an ancient grape variety with an uncertain origin, but it’s certain that it has a history spanning several centuries, giving it plenty of time to mutate.

Today, there are several major variants derived from Pinot, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Teinturier, and Pinot Noir Precoce. Among these, Pinot Noir has the longest history and can be considered the patriarch of the Pinot family.

However, sometimes black, gray, and white grape berries can all appear on the same vine. Through DNA testing, it’s been discovered that all these Pinot variants share the same genetic fingerprint.

Thus, in the book ‘Wine Grapes,’ co-authored by renowned wine expert Jancis Robinson and others, the idea of the Pinot family is challenged. The authors argue that this notion is misleading since Pinot Noir isn’t necessarily the parent of Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc, but rather they are all variations. Nevertheless, the Chardonnay variety, widely grown alongside Pinot Noir in Burgundy, is indeed a hybrid offspring of Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir Easily Mutates, with Many Clones

Pinot Noir, being an ancient variety, has given rise to widely known variants like Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. The extensive variation within Pinot Noir is largely due to its genetic characteristics. Throughout history, Pinot Noir has been widely cultivated in Burgundy, leading to numerous clones.

As far back as the 1960s, to control virus spread, the French began studying virus-resistant clones of Pinot Noir. The initial clones, like the larger-berried Pinots Droits, resulted in disastrous outcomes due to their quantity over quality.

Subsequently, hundreds of high-quality clones were developed and widely adopted globally in Pinot Noir-producing regions. The most popular clones include 113, 114, 115, 667, 777, and 828.

While these clones were developed for specific attributes, they generally have smaller berries. Compared to clones derived from Pinot Noir outside of Europe, these clones tend to produce richer and more complex wines.

In reality, many producers, especially in Burgundy, don’t just cultivate a single clone but prefer to plant a range of clones to provide more diversity.

Characteristics of Pinot Noir Varieties

Pinot Noir buds early, making it susceptible to spring frosts, and its tendency to drop fruit requires careful care. Typically, Pinot Noir clusters are small and tightly packed, with thin skins that make them susceptible to fungal diseases.

In general, Pinot Noir ripens relatively early and can achieve ideal maturity in moderate and cool climates. However, in harsh weather conditions, it’s prone to rot and mold. Planting Pinot Noir in hot environments isn’t recommended, as it can lead to premature ripening. The thin skins also make it susceptible to sunburn and dehydration.

During cultivation, strict control of nutrients and yields is necessary, especially for clones with higher yields and larger berries.

7 out of the World’s Top 10 Most Expensive Wines are Pinot Noir

According to data from the authoritative wine comparison website WS, among the top 10 most expensive wines in the world, 7 are made from Pinot Noir grapes. These wines hold the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th positions, all originating from Burgundy and produced by significant local producers.

Why Can Pinot Noir Produce the World’s Most Expensive Wines?

Pinot Noir Best Reflects Terroir

It is said that every woman in love is like Sherlock Holmes — she’s highly sensitive to any move her boyfriend makes and can easily detect and dismantle all his ‘plots’.

Similarly, Pinot Noir is highly sensitive and can reflect even the slightest changes in climate or terroir. Different soil compositions, sunlight intensity, and microclimates of different vineyards are all reflected in the wine. This is something varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon can’t achieve.

Burgundian winemakers have an unparalleled grasp of terroir. For them, they don’t produce Pinot Noir wine; Pinot Noir is a medium they use to communicate with local geography and vineyard terroir.

Pinot Noir Demands Stringent Growing Conditions

Pinot Noir is prone to fungal and viral infections, including powdery mildew and downy mildew. This means it’s unsuitable for planting in humid environments, requiring well-draining soils.

Additionally, its thin skin makes it sensitive to light, heat, and dry conditions. Its low tannin content and lack of protection against insects and UV rays make it unsuitable for hot climates, as it could lead to sunburn and dehydration.

At times, Pinot Noir berries can easily split after rainfall, making rainfall during the growing season an essential factor in site selection. All these factors make suitable growing locations for Pinot Noir relatively limited.

Vulnerability to Natural Disasters

Because it buds early, Pinot Noir is susceptible to spring frost. In late April 2016, Burgundy experienced the most severe spring frost in 35 years, affecting a vast area and destroying many young vines.

Apart from spring frost, the Burgundy region is also susceptible to summer hail, which can impact harvest and potentially affect the following year. These factors increase the production costs of Pinot Noir.

Requires More Labor-intensive Care

Compared to adaptable, cost-efficient varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir demands both caring growers and patient winemakers. It requires more labor and attention.

Given Pinot Noir’s demanding growing conditions and susceptibility to natural disasters, it requires extra care. This adds to production costs. In winemaking, many Burgundian winemakers agree that Pinot Noir is more challenging to produce than Chardonnay.

Throughout the winemaking process, Pinot Noir requires constant monitoring. Winemakers also need to adjust techniques based on the specific needs of each vintage.

More care results in Pinot Noir developing qualities as expected, which justifies the additional efforts.

Low Yields

Even in its native region, Pinot Noir’s performance isn’t stable, and it tends to drop fruit. Combined with the impact of natural disasters, yields can be reduced.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Burgundy developed higher-yielding clones. However, the resulting wines often lacked personality and concentration.

This means that Pinot Noir’s yields can’t be excessively high. Consequently, low yield becomes one of Pinot Noir’s labels, contributing significantly to its high price.

Unique Sensory Characteristics of Pinot Noir Wine

If Cabernet Sauvignon’s charm lies in its bold flavors, Pinot Noir’s allure is its silky elegance. Tasting a Pinot Noir wine often brings an unparalleled sensory experience, with a sweet fruitiness present regardless of its origin.

Moreover, Pinot Noir generally has lower tannins and color than other popular varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. This makes Pinot Noir charming when young, with the wine quickly transitioning to an aging phase. Quality Pinot Noir often reaches its peak and maintains it for an extended period, making it a delightful choice at any stage.

Types and Styles of Pinot Noir Wines

Dry Red Wine

Pinot Noir is mainly used to produce dry red wines. Due to its thin skin, the resulting wines generally have a lighter color, fewer tannins, but higher acidity, resulting in a relatively light body.

In contrast to Cabernet Sauvignon’s characteristic black currant and cedar flavors, classic Pinot Noir wines exhibit red fruit aromas such as raspberries, strawberries, and red cherries when young. With aging, they evolve to showcase notes of herbs, saline, and game, while maintaining a very soft texture.

Excessive sunlight and heat can lead to cooked fruit or jam-like flavors in Pinot Noir wines, which can be undesirable. Therefore, Pinot Noir thrives in cooler climates. The best-quality Pinot Noir dry red wines are found in Burgundy.

Burgundy’s Pinot Noir wines are known for their low tannins and delicate textures, often referred to as ‘liquid silk.’ The United States is the second-largest producer of Pinot Noir and also creates highly praised dry red Pinot Noir wines. Additionally, Pinot Noir is a significant red grape variety in New Zealand, producing wines with a unique and pure fruitiness that sets them apart from other regions.

Sparkling Wine

Apart from dry red wines, Pinot Noir is also one of the three main grape varieties used in Champagne production. The elegance and nobility of Champagne owe much to Pinot Noir. It can be said that Pinot Noir sets the tone and depth for the entire Champagne, adding richness and complexity.

Furthermore, Pinot Noir can be used solely to produce Champagne, known as Blanc de Noirs. The charm of Champagne and Pinot Noir is so great that other wine regions around the world have adopted Pinot Noir for sparkling wine production. Even Spanish Cava sometimes contains a certain proportion of Pinot Noir.

Rosé Wine

Due to its light skin color, Pinot Noir is also used to produce rosé wines. This can be found in regions such as Oregon, Russian River Valley, Carneros, Argentina, Chile, Loire Valley, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Pinot Noir rosé wines boast elegant and refined aromas and flavors, with a light body that’s suitable for slightly chilled consumption. Pinot Noir can also be used to produce rosé sparkling wines.

Classic Regions and Well-Known Brands of French Pinot Noir

Burgundy

Undoubtedly, Burgundy is the prime region for Pinot Noir cultivation. When mentioning Pinot Noir, people naturally think of Burgundy, and when discussing Burgundy, Pinot Noir is an essential grape variety — their reputations are intertwined.

Pinot Noir is the only legally recognized red grape variety in Burgundy, and it thrives here, especially in the Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards of the Cote d’Or. These vineyards allow Pinot Noir to showcase the subtle nuances of terroir like no other region can.

The grapes from these vineyards produce some of the world’s most expensive, delicate, and elegant wines. Many New World producers use them as prototypes for crafting their own Pinot Noir.

Besides exceptional quality, Burgundian Pinot Noir is known for its aging potential. Despite its low tannins, its natural high acidity and complex flavor profile allow many high-quality Pinot Noir wines to age for 15–20 years or even longer. Coupled with low yields, Burgundian Pinot Noir is generally priced higher.

Especially wines crafted by the legendary winemaker Henri Jayer hold a significant place in the wine world. His Pinot Noir wines are highly sought after by avid enthusiasts, top collectors, and prestigious families.

Well-Known Brands: Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is the most renowned Pinot Noir producer in Burgundy. The wines from this estate are known for their rarity and high prices, particularly those from the eponymous Grand Cru vineyard, which frequently tops the list of ‘Most Expensive Wines in the World.’ It’s acclaimed for its top-tier quality and unparalleled fame, earning it the title of ‘King of Wines.’

Henry Jayer’s wines are the only ones that have outperformed Domaine de la Romanee-Conti for the title of the world’s most expensive wine, making them a legendary figure in the world of Burgundy. However, since Henry’s passing, his wines have become increasingly rare.

Furthermore, Domaine Leroy, built by the formidable Lalou Bize-Leroy, is another mythical estate. Three out of the top ten most expensive wines globally are from Domaine Leroy’s Pinot Noir wines, a rarity on the global stage.

Certainly, Domaine G.Roumier and Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair are also regulars on this list, producing wines that not only excel in quality but also gain recognition from consumers worldwide.

Champagne

Historically, Burgundy was the primary region for Pinot Noir. However, in the 1980s, Champagne expanded its Pinot Noir plantings.

Thus, Champagne is, in terms of acreage, the largest Pinot Noir region in France. Like Burgundy, Champagne is also one of the coolest regions in France, making it a thriving location for Pinot Noir. Alongside Chardonnay and Meunier, it contributes to the world’s most refined sparkling wine — Champagne.

While Pinot Noir has a lighter body, it is widely used in Champagne for its body and aging potential. Moreover, it imparts a certain fruity character to Champagne and adds complexity and elegance to its texture. Champagnes made exclusively from Pinot Noir are very limited in production, leaving a lasting impression.

Well-Known Brands: In China, Champagne is the most well-known type of sparkling wine for the general public. Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Bollinger, Taittinger, and Louis Roederer are among the most recognized brands in the Chinese market.

However, when it comes to Blanc de Noirs Champagne, a range of Champagne brands, led by Bollinger, are worth trying, particularly the Vieilles Vignes Francaises, which is extraordinarily classic.

Other Regions

In the Jura region in eastern Burgundy, Pinot Noir is also an important red grape variety. Additionally, Alsace and Loire Valley are among the coolest regions in France, making them suitable for some Pinot Noir plantings.

Since the 16th century, Pinot Noir has been one of the most important grape varieties in Alsace and remains the only red grape variety here. It is often used to produce rosé and dry red wines. Alsace Pinot Noir has a relatively deep color, aromatic complexity, but it may not match Burgundian Pinot Noir in terms of texture and intensity.

In the Loire Valley, Pinot Noir is primarily used to produce Sancerre dry red and rosé wines. These wines have a lighter body than those from the Burgundy region.

Other Classic Pinot Noir Regions and Notable Brands in the Old World

Germany

Although Germany is renowned for Riesling, its Pinot Noir is also exceptional.

“Spätburgunder” is the German term for Pinot Noir, where “burgunder” refers to Burgundy. Baden is the central region for Pinot Noir in Germany, along with Rheingau, Pfalz, Ahr, and Franken, which also have significant Pinot Noir plantings.

Unlike France, German Pinot Noir tends to be slightly heavier and exhibits more sweetness. Influenced by oak barrel aging and terroir, German Pinot Noir offers pleasing spice aromas resembling cinnamon and five-spice powder.

Notable Brands: Some prominent Pinot Noir producers in Germany include Bercher, Dr Heger, Bernhard Huber, and Martin Wassmer from Baden; Bernhart, Knipser, and Philipp Kuhn from Pfalz; Deutzerhof, Jean Stodden, and Meyer-Nakl from Ahr; Rudolf Furst from Franken; and August Kesseler from Rheingau.

Italy

Italy, a haven for red grape varieties, also features Pinot Noir, known as Pinot Nero here. Pinot Noir is common in regions near the Alps in northern Italy, such as Lombardy and Alto Adige.

In Italy, Pinot Noir is also used to produce the sparkling wine Franciacorta.

Notable Brands: In Lombardy, notable Pinot Noir producers include Hofstatter, Haas, Gottardi, and Lageder.

Classic Pinot Noir Regions and Notable Brands in the New World

In the warm New World regions, Pinot Noir is generally grown in areas influenced by cold air or ocean currents.

United States

The United States is the second-largest producer of Pinot Noir after France. After the release of the movie “Sideways,” Pinot Noir plantings in California, especially in Sonoma, Monterey, and Carneros, surged. The Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley threaten the dominance of local Zinfandel with their Pinot Noir plantings.

Oregon, on the other hand, focuses heavily on Pinot Noir. The Willamette Valley is the largest Pinot Noir AVA in Oregon, producing elegant and aromatic wines.

Notable Brands: Drouhin, with its Domaine Drouhin, is a famous Burgundian producer that established a presence in Oregon. Adelsheim is another well-known Oregon producer.

New Zealand

Pinot Noir holds a position in New Zealand’s red wine landscape similar to that of Sauvignon Blanc in white wines. Marlborough and Central Otago are renowned Pinot Noir regions, known for elegant and flavorful wines.

Notable Brands: Esk Valley is a top-tier brand known for its Pinot Noir. Ata Rangi is another leading producer. Oyster Bay and Cloudy Bay also produce outstanding Pinot Noir.

Australia

Australia, though known for Shiraz, offers diverse climates suitable for Pinot Noir. Yarra Valley in Victoria is a notable cool-climate region for Pinot Noir.

Notable Brands: Bass Phillip is a revered Australian Pinot Noir producer, praised for its quality.

Chile

Chile’s cool climate influenced by ocean currents makes it ideal for Pinot Noir. Casablanca Valley, especially, produces Pinot Noir wines with raspberry and red cherry aromas.

Notable Brands: Cono Sur Vineyards is a pioneer Pinot Noir producer in Chile.

The Movie “Sideways”: Boosting Pinot Noir’s International Fame

In the movie “Sideways,” released in 2004, the main character’s love for Pinot Noir, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, sparked widespread interest in the variety.

Since then, Pinot Noir’s production and sales have exploded, becoming a favorite among enthusiasts globally.

It’s worth noting that even before the movie’s release, countries like the United States, Australia, Chile, and New Zealand were already researching and planting Pinot Noir, contributing significantly to its international popularity.