Pinot Noir

Thin-skinned, terroir-transparent, the heartbreak grape.

Pinot Noir is the diva: thin-skinned, prone to disease, sensitive to soil and clone. When it works, it produces pale, perfumed, silky reds that age into truffle and forest floor. Burgundy is the benchmark; Oregon, Central Otago, Sonoma Coast, and Germany produce credible challengers. Always early-ripening — even slightly warm sites push it into jam.