Tag: Pinot Noir

Raise Your Glass to New Zealand for International Pinot Noir Day – August 18th

There’s something irresistibly seductive about Pinot Noir. It’s the grape varietal that makes sommeliers swoon, winemakers sweat, and wine lovers fall head over heels. And while Burgundy may have long been considered its spiritual home, New Zealand has been quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) redefining the Pinot Noir conversation.

This August 18th, as the wine world raises a glass to International Pinot Noir Day, it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate New Zealand’s most captivating red wine export.

Pinot Noir was first planted in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand’s North Island in 1883, but it wasn’t until 1987 that it was commercially released. By the 1990s, gold medals in Australia and London had propelled New Zealand Pinot Noir onto the global stage. Suddenly, whispers of a “new Pinot powerhouse” were spreading around the wine world.

“New Zealand Pinot Noir is something else,” says Charlotte Read, General Manager Brand at New Zealand Winegrowers. “It leads with a concentrated core of fruit, supported by a vibrant backbone of acidity thanks to our cool climate, and displays the hallmark fragrance and elegant, fine-grained tannins that great Pinots possess. It’s exciting to observe the distinct regional styles that emerge from differences in soil type and climate across the areas where Pinot Noir is grown in New Zealand.”

Pinot Noir is now among the top five most searched red varietals globally, with Wine-Searcher reporting an increase from 10.5% to 15.5% of total search market share. Within New Zealand, Pinot Noir accounted for 32.4% of wine searches in 2024, second only to Sauvignon Blanc.

And it’s not just hype; it’s in the glass. Lively acidity, silky tannins, and versatile food-friendliness make it a natural companion for a wide range of dishes, from roast chicken and salmon to mushroom risotto and duck confit. With more wine lovers gravitating toward fresher, chillable reds, Pinot Noir is perfectly suited to the modern table.

It’s no surprise that Pinot Noir has become New Zealand’s top red wine variety and the country’s second-largest wine export after Sauvignon Blanc, with over 1.5 million cases shipped annually to more than 100 countries. Exports alone reached $2.1 billion in 2024.

So, this International Pinot Noir Day, why not pour yourself a glass and discover why this grape has captured the world’s imagination?

My picks for the occasion:

  • Tarras Central Otago Pinot Noir – vibrant, rich, full-bodied and endlessly drinkable
  • Thornbury Pinot Noir 2019 – classic structure with a rich, fruit-driven
  • Lord Rutherford Pinot Noir 2013 – a cellar gem that showcases how gracefully New Zealand Pinot can age

Raise your glass, take a sip, and let New Zealand Pinot Noir remind you why wine can be both playful and profound!

Wine Review: 2023 The Grange [Farmer’s Series] County Pinot Noir, and the 2023 Estate Series [Diana Block] Pinot Noir

2023 Farmer’s Series County Pinot Noir
VQA Prince Edward County

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Peppery, with full berry aromas, hints of spice and vanilla, along with an earthy undertone.
Palate: Vibrant and fresh, juicy acidity with light tannins.
Score: 87

This robust, terroir-driven County Pinot is part of The Grange’s Farmer’s Series, which celebrates the friendships with other farmers, growers, and vineyards across Ontario.

Other Details:
Alc./vol.: 12.0%
Residual Sugar: 0.2 g/L
Harvest Date: October 2023
Aging: 10 Months in French Oak (33% new barrel)

 

2023 Estate Series Diana Block Pinot Noir
VQA Prince Edward County

Tasting Notes:

Made with estate grapes from the Diana block, this elegant Pinot Noir displays a complex nose of cherry, strawberry, savoury beet, and earthy leaves, with a light, silky palate, chalky tannin and nice length and well-balanced.
Score: 88

 Other Details:
Alc./vol.: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 2 g/L
Estate Vineyards: Diana Block
Harvest Date: October 2023

The Estate Series wines are crafted from grapes from multiple blocks across the property. The estate vineyard spans 100+ acres of diverse, natural lands. The five vineyard blocks cover varied soils, ecology, and weather, offering unique terroir influences on the wines’ character and complexity.

For further details:  https://www.grangewinery.com

Pinot Noir resurgence in Alsace with two AOC’s

Pinot Noir can now be included as part of the AOC Alsace Grand Crus in two territories which has been a long-awaited move for a grape variety that has perhaps been overlooked in the region.

France’s appellation body, the National Institute of origin and quality (INAO) had formally approved the addition of Pinot Noir to the list of varieties that are permitted in Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr (Barr, Bas-Rhin) and Grand Cru Hengst (Wintzenheim, Haut-Rhin). The move officially ratifies Pinot Noir Grand Crus from these two prestigious terroirs for the 2022 vintage.

The amendment noted that vines intended for the production of red wines in Alsace grand cru Hengst should have a density minimum plantation of 5,500 vines per hectare, with vines in Alsace grand cru Kirchberg de Barr having a minimum planting density of 5,000 vines per hectare and an average maximum yield of 7,000 kg per hectare.

Twenty years ago, Pinot Noir represented 8.5% of Alsace’s total vineyard area. Today, that figure has risen to 11%. The changes mean that Hengst and Kirchberg de Barr are now currently the only AOC Alsace Grand Cru reserved for white wines and still reds, with the first to be released from the 2022 vintage.

According to some producers, getting to this point has been a twenty-year journey, and marks the renaissance of the variety in the region – which has grown from around 8% of hectarage under vine to 11% now – as well as recognition of the work carried out by existing producers of these wines.

The new rules means that these two AOCs can produce both white wines and still reds, the CIVA hopes that this will be expanded to include other AOC Grand Crus in the region over the next few years. Currently, there are 51 AOC Alsace Grand Crus, 49 of which can make Grand Cru wines from just five grape varieties (Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Riesling, and Sylvaner, which was also added by the INAO in May).

#pinotnoir #grandcrus #alsacewine #alsacevineywards #vineyards #winenews #frenchwine #madeinfrance #vin #wine #redwine #winelover #winesoffrance #drinkalsace #MillésimesAlsace

 

Louis Roederer Launches Single-Vineyard Still Wines

Champagne house Louis Roederer has launched a pair of single-vineyard Coteaux Champenois wines, known collectively as ‘Hommage a Camille’.

Named after Camille Olry-Roederer, the great-grandmother of the house’s current CEO, Frederic Rouzaud, the wines are single-site, varietal Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The Pinot Noir is made from a plot of 43 ‘ares’ (100 ares to a hectare) in the ‘Charmont’ lieu-dit in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, while the Chardonnay is from an old 55-ares plot in the ‘Volibarts’ lieu-dit in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger.

The Pinot Noir is known as ‘Camille Charmont’ and the Chardonnay known as ‘Camille Volibarts’ are from the 2018 vintage.

The house said in a statement that both wines are the result of, “a long process of observation and experimentation”, which reveals, “another facet of the Champagne terroirs”. The house’s cellar master, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, has been experimenting with still wines since at least 2002.

Camille Olry-Roederer took over the running of the Roederer company after the death of her husband Léon in 1932. She remained in charge until 1975 and was known to be especially fond of the house’s still wines.

The wines will be released in March, with the Pinot Noir priced at €160 (£155) and the Chardonnay at €140 (£130). Production figures are low: 1,631 bottles of the Pinot and 2,880 of the Chardonnay.

 Subscribe for daily updates https://www.liz-palmer.com/

 

The World of Pinot Noir announces March 2021 will be ‘WOPN Wine Month’ 

This year, the largest annual gathering of Pinot Noir producers and fans is going virtual it’s going to be bigger and longer.

During the month of March every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will feature a series of virtual tasting seminars, events, auctions, and winemaker happy hours via Zoom, Instagram Live and Facebook Live.

“Each year, our 3,000-plus attendees often say they’d love even more content and more opportunities for intimate experiences with winemakers,” says Laura Booras, president of the World of Pinot Noir Board of Directors. “This year, we actually have an opportunity to grow those opportunities.”

New this year is the “WOPN Wine Case Experience.” Each guest will receive a carefully selected case of hard-to-find pinot noirs handpicked by our esteemed World of Pinot Sommelier Team. Then, each Wednesday (beginning March 3), David Glancy, Master Sommelier and Founder of the San Francisco Wine School, will host an exclusive winemaker seminar and discussion featuring three of the 12 wines.

Every Thursday (beginning March 4), WOPN will present a different deep-dive tasting seminar. These winemaker panel discussions will feature esteemed personalities in the winemaking community and delve into sites such as Bien Nacido, the terroirs of the Santa Lucia Highlands and explore the rugged elegance of the Sonoma Coast. Each tasting seminar will feature a collection of wines for purchase.

In addition to the eight tasting seminars, WOPN will host a series of free live Facebook and Instagram winemaker discussions and Happy Hours every Wednesday at noon (PST) and Friday at 5 p.m. (PST), respectively.

WOPN’s popular annual silent auction also goes virtual. Bid throughout the month on large-format bottles, exclusive library wines, and one-of-a-kind experiences from scores of producers from around the world.

For further information please visit the World of Pinot Noir website