Pinot Noir
Opinions differ widely about this grape. It is a notoriously difficult one to handle, even in the heartland of Burgundy, from where the greatest expressions of this grape emerge. It's temperamental, difficult, talented, wonderfully expressive, yet prone to sulking.
But when Pinot Noir is on form, either in its Burgundy guise or as one of the principal grapes used in making Champagne (yes, a red wine grape used to make a sparkling white), then it is sublime. To champagne it adds richness, body and style. As a red from Burgundy, it produces some of the most complex and exciting flavours that you're likely to find in a wine. Which is why so many countries outside France continue to experiment with it, in the hope of emulating great Burgundy. The Australians have had a stab at it, as have the New Zealand wine fraternity, making some of the best Pinots outside Burgundy. The Californians play hit and miss with it; South Africa makes some good, basic, fruit-driven versions; and there's a small enclave of winemakers in Oregon who get pretty close to perfection. But, at the end of the day, it really is Burgundy where the best Pinot Noir comes from. The problem is, it's disgracefully expensive, and, even in a great vintage, with a great producer behind it, it can occasionally come across as simply average.
Pronunciation: Pee-no nw-ar.
Where do I find it? Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire and Alsace in France, Australia (particularly Tasmania), New Zealand, South Africa, California and Oregon in the US, Germany, Spain, Italy.
What does it taste like? It's a mix of sweet black cherry and bitter red cherry fruits, a little along the lines of a Chupa-Chup, but in the more complex versions this can be laced with bits of liquorice, milk chocolate and sweet vanilla (from the oak ageing). People often say that Pinot Noir has 'earthy' or 'farmyardy', 'gamy' flavours, but I think it's easier to compare this element to opening and eating a packet of bacon fries-you get the same slatey, meaty, smoky aromas and flavours with Pinot Noir.
Tell me something I didn't know: There are 46 different versions, or clones, of Pinot Noir in France alone-so it's a big family, many of which are Class A troublemakers.
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