Filtrer

Price

€0.00 - €1,890.00

Color

Type

Vintage

Wine region

Viticulture method

Food and wine

Variety

Medal awards

Wine style

Alcohol content

Storage

Volume

Appellation

Winemaker's name

Grape variety : Pinot Noir

100s Extra Brut

100s Extra Brut

Champagne Xavier Loriot Champagne
€26.00
  • HVE
2003 Vintage

2003 Vintage

Champagne Vincent Couche Champagne
€65.00
  • Bio
  • Biodynamic
2003 Vintage

2003 Vintage

Champagne Vincent Couche Champagne
€65.00
  • Bio
  • Biodynamic
Adagio 1er Cru

Adagio 1er Cru

Champagne Lacuisse Frères Champagne
€29.90
Anthocyane

Anthocyane

Domaine Humbrecht 1619 Alsace
€12.96
  • Bio
  • Biodynamic
Aux Origines

Aux Origines

Champagne Jean Josselin Champagne
€44.40
Blanc de noirs

Blanc de noirs

Champagne Gremillet Champagne
€35.50
Blanc Suprême

Blanc Suprême

Champagne Bonvalet Champagne
€32.00
Back to top

Pinot Noir: Origins and Characteristics of this Grape Variety

Ranked among the top 10 most planted grape varieties in France and worldwide, Pinot Noir is a must-know variety. As a key red grape of the finest Burgundy wines, sometimes priced beyond reach, Pinot Noir continues to captivate wine lovers with its elegance. Follow our guide to discover everything you need to know about Pinot Noir, from its history and aromatic characteristics to the wines it produces. This article also offers tips for creating the best food and wine pairings with Pinot Noir wines.

Pinot Noir at a glance

  • Color: red grape
  • Origin: Burgundy, a very old Burgundian variety
  • Regions: Burgundy, from village to grand cru (Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune); also Champagne, the Loire, Alsace, the Jura and Savoie
  • Profile: elegant, silky reds on red fruit (cherry, raspberry); also used for rosé and Champagne
  • Serving temperature: 15 to 16 °C
  • Cellaring: the great wines of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune are built for long aging

Description and Origins of this Grape Variety

Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties. An emblematic red grape of the great wines of Burgundy, Pinot Noir was reintroduced to the region by Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, in 1395. He banned the cultivation of Gamay on his lands, deeming it of lesser quality. While Pinot Noir is inseparable from Burgundy, it has also made its mark in other French regions such as Champagne, the Loire, Alsace, Jura, Savoie, and even further south in Languedoc. Its finesse and complex aromas of red fruits have made it a grape variety cultivated and cherished around the world.

Aromatic Characteristics

Often vinified as a single-variety wine, Pinot Noir is versatile and expresses itself very differently depending on the terroir and the estate that cultivates it. We can distinguish four styles of wines made from different Pinot Noirs:

Pinot Noir in Red Wine under Cool Climates:

Appearance: Light ruby-red color

Nose: Notes of cherry, strawberries, rose, spices, smoke, undergrowth

Palate: Fresh, long, with silky tannins

Pinot Noir in Red Wine under Warm Climates:

Appearance: Deeper garnet-red color

Nose: Aromas of jammy red fruits (strawberry, cherry), coffee

Palate: Round and warm

Pinot Noir in Rosé Wine:

Appearance: Pale pink color

Nose: Aromas of red fruits and flowers

Palate: Light and indulgent

Pinot Noir in Champagne and Sparkling Wine:

Appearance: Clear golden yellow color

Nose: Aromas of mirabelle plum, honey, spices

Palate: Powerful and vinous

The Main Terroirs Where it is Cultivated in France

As mentioned, Pinot Noir is a red grape variety closely associated with Burgundy but has also been established in many vineyards across France. While it prefers cooler, northern climates like those found in Jura, Alsace, or the Loire, it produces richer, rounder red wines under a Mediterranean climate. Its preferred terroir is typically found on limestone-rich and mineral-rich soils, especially abundant in Burgundy. The ideal region for producing great long-aging Pinot Noir is primarily located in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune.

The Best Food and Wine Pairings with Pinot Noir

Here are our tips for successful food and wine pairings with Pinot Noir from the best appellations in France:

  • If you plan to enjoy foie gras or smoked salmon toasts during the holidays or for a special occasion, choose a bottle of 100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs Champagne from a prestigious estate. Its aromas of mirabelle plum, ripe apple, dried fruits, and its finely smoky finish will perfectly complement your appetizers.
  • For a coq au vin or beef bourguignon, nothing beats a beautiful bottle of Burgundy red wine from a Pommard or Pernand-Vergelesses estate. With a complex nose of red fruits (cherry, blackcurrant), spices, and mocha, and a powerful palate with silky tannins, these cuvées will elevate any meat-based dish in sauce.
  • To accompany guinea fowl ballotines or roast chicken, try a Loire Pinot Noir with a bottle from a Sancerre estate, offering finesse and elegance. Its ample, light palate with fruity and floral notes will pair perfectly with all your poultry recipes.

Want to deepen your knowledge by trying a new Pinot Noir cuvée? On Avenue des Vins, every bottle is carefully selected and available for delivery directly to your home, sourced straight from the estate or château of your choice. Whether you choose a bottle of Burgundy Pinot Noir or from any other region of France, explore our wines at the best prices delivered to your door!

Serving Pinot Noir at the right temperature

Pinot Noir gives light to medium-bodied, elegant reds, so it is best served slightly cooler than a bigger, more powerful red wine. A temperature of around 15 to 16 °C keeps its silky texture and its red-fruit aromas of cherry and raspberry in balance, while preserving its freshness. Served too warm, a delicate red like Pinot Noir can taste heavy and alcoholic, and its finesse fades; served too cold, its perfume closes up. Like most red wines built on elegance rather than power, it shows at its best when poured at the right temperature.

Pinot Noir across France’s wine regions

Although Pinot Noir is grown around the world, France remains its heartland. Its spiritual home is Burgundy, where the limestone slopes of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune produce the most sought-after and age-worthy expressions of the grape. In Champagne, Pinot Noir is one of the pillars of the blend and the basis of many blanc de noirs cuvées. Further east, Alsace bottles it as a fruity, increasingly serious red, while in the Loire it gives the fine, fresh reds of appellations such as Sancerre. From north to south, each region draws a different accent from the same elegant, silky grape.

Frequently asked questions about Pinot Noir

What kind of wine is Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is a red grape variety that produces elegant, silky red wines. It is the great red grape of Burgundy, in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, and is also widely grown in Champagne, Alsace, the Loire and many other regions around the world.

What does Pinot Noir taste like?

Pinot Noir is known for its finesse and its aromas of red fruits such as cherry and raspberry. In cooler climates it stays light and fresh with silky tannins, while warmer climates give rounder, riper styles with jammy red fruit and sometimes notes of coffee.

What temperature should you serve Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is best served slightly cool, at around 15 to 16 °C. At this temperature its silky texture and red-fruit aromas stay in balance, whereas serving it too warm can make a delicate red taste heavy.

What food pairs well with Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with poultry, feathered game and meat dishes in sauce such as coq au vin or beef bourguignon. A fuller Burgundy red from Pommard or Pernand-Vergelesses suits richer dishes, while a lighter Loire Pinot Noir from Sancerre works well with roast chicken or guinea fowl.