Pinot Noir is a divisive grape variety. For some people, its more delicate and ethereal style makes this grape an overhyped imposter amongst the more full-flavoured varieties and the black as night wines made from the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Wishy washy, limp and lacking in flavour are insults often unfairly hurled in the direction of Pinot Noir, especially by wine drinkers who come from the school where bigger is always better. And while Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are generally more dependable grapes, which can grow successfully in a wide range of regions, Pinot Noir is one of the fussiest varieties and only truly flourishes in relatively microscopic corners of the world where conditions are perfect for its physiology. However, there is no guarantee, and even most well informed Pinot Noir consumers have been stung by wines with high price points from famous vineyards and wineries that fail to deliver anything like the expected experience.
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Yet for fans of Pinot Noir such as myself, despite the occasional disappointments, it remains the undisputed king and holy grail as, when it is on song, the peaks are so incredibly high that we are happy to forgive an occasional misstep. Pinot’s enthralling perfume combined with a natural energy provided by vibrant acidity all wrapped up in a cocoon of satiny tannins provide a remarkable drink, even in wines built to enjoy young. And then in the greatest wines, the additional layers of savoury, earthy and gamey complexity, sometimes with a hint of farmyard, or merde for French speakers, combined with balanced structure for long aging can deliver some of life’s most memorable experiences.
Pinot’s ability to translate geography, soil and season is also unmatched, and no clearer than in the wines from the greatest villages in Burgundy. While a hillside wine from the kidney of the Cote-d'Or slope can achieve Grand Cru status and sell for thousands of dollars per bottle, wines raised one hundred metres away in flatter and more fertile vineyards under identical conditions can be found under $100, due to this grape’s innate sensitivity. Such is the mystery surrounding Pinot Noir that a short distance and gentle slope is enough to transform wines from merely solid to life changing.
Perhaps the attraction is also in the thrill of the chase as for Pinot tragics, almost like a drug, its wines elicit rare loyalty from Pinotphiles, who are always searching for the next high that this variety can provide. It may be a rare label, or a new vintage, but sometimes even the most Pinot-addled devotees are never satisfied. And Burgundy only helps to feed the addiction with hundreds of lieu-dits to sample, preferably from vineyards ascribed the hallowed labels of Premier or Grand Cru.
Pinot Noir’s beauty and its unpredictability are ingrained in its DNA, which has developed over centuries as one of the most historic grape varieties. It also boasts impressive genetic diversity, as do its relatives Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. As a component of that genetic code, Pinot Noir’s sensitivity to terroir and vintage comes about in part due to its thin skins that are simply not built to endure difficult climatic conditions, which also provides Pinot Noir with its delicate colour, often mistakenly linked to a lack of concentration. Conversely some of the most powerful and long lived Pinot Noirs carry a surprisingly delicate colour. Pinot is the ultimate proof that, in wine, you should not judge by its cover, or colour in this case.
While Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon can endure all but the most challenging seasons, Pinot Noir is simply less resilient. In a wet season disease can easily take hold while in an overly dry and or hot year Pinot Noir loses its natural energy and hypnotic perfume, its key calling cards. In a warming world, this in particular is Pinot Noir’s greatest challenge as Pinot without perfume is little more than a simple, light-weight dry red. Overly zealous winemakers, who overuse whole bunches or new oak, can also obscure Pinot’s considerable charm, and ruin what nature has provided.
So truly great Pinot Noir is clearly far from a given. To get there it must walk a difficult tightrope, starting with a great region and vineyard before dodging the challenges of vintage and an unsympathetic winemaker. But should it arrive unscathed, and successfully thread the needle, this is a variety that can deliver hauntingly complex and textured wines that are truly unforgettable.
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