Red grape variety

Pinot Noir

Also called Pinot Nero, Spätburgunder, Blauburgunder

Pinot Noir is a red grape from Burgundy, France, known for pale, silky wines with cherry, raspberry and earthy notes. It makes the grand crus of the Côte d'Or and is the most planted grape in Champagne. DNA from 15th-century seeds shows it has barely changed in 600 years.

Color	Red (black-skinned)
Origin	Burgundy, France (documented since the Middle Ages)
Body	Light to medium
Acidity	High
Tannin	Low
Typical aromas	cherry, raspberry, strawberry, violet, mushroom, forest floor, barnyard
Key regions	Burgundy (France), Champagne (France), Germany, Oregon (United States), California (United States), Central Otago (New Zealand), Yarra Valley (Australia), Alsace (France)

Origin and history

Pinot Noir takes its name from the French words for pine and black, a nod to its tight, pinecone-shaped bunches. The Roman writer Columella described a similar vine in Burgundy in the 1st century, and DNA from seeds found in a 15th-century hospital latrine in Château-Thierry showed the variety has stayed virtually unchanged for at least 600 years. Pinot is a genetically unstable family: Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are colour mutations, and Pinot Meunier is a chimera of it. Crossed with Gouais Blanc over the centuries, Pinot also produced Chardonnay, Gamay and Aligoté. Germany calls it Spätburgunder, Italy Pinot Nero and Switzerland often Blauburgunder.

Where it grows

The reference point is Burgundy, where it makes every red grand cru of the Côte de Nuits, from Chambertin and Musigny to Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, and village wines such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard and Volnay. It is the most planted grape in Champagne, especially on the Montagne de Reims around Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. Other homes include Sancerre, Alsace, the German Ahr, Oregon's Dundee Hills, California's Russian River Valley and Sta. Rita Hills, and New Zealand, which had 5,569 hectares in 2014, with Central Otago and Martinborough its best-known areas.

Taste, wine styles and food

Pinot Noir has thin skins and low levels of phenolic compounds, so its wines are pale, light in tannin and medium in body. Young examples smell of cherries, raspberries and strawberries; with age they move towards vegetal, earthy and barnyard aromas, and their evolution in bottle can be uneven. The grape is sensitive to site, which is why Burgundy maps its vineyards so precisely (see the Burgundy grand crus list). Beyond still reds, it is a core grape for sparkling wine: Champagne, Franciacorta, Trento and English sparkling wines such as Nyetimber all use it. Its fresh acidity and soft tannins make it flexible at the table, suiting duck, salmon, mushrooms and poultry. After the 2004 film Sideways, Pinot Noir sales in the western United States rose 16%.

Test yourself: the Pinot Noir quiz

Wines made with Pinot Noir (78)

WineGuessr lists 78 wines made with Pinot Noir, from 15 countries. Most come from France (47).

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Pinot Noir: questions and answers

What does Pinot Noir taste like?

Young Pinot Noir tastes of cherry, raspberry and strawberry, with a light body, soft tannins and fresh acidity. With age it develops earthy, mushroom and forest-floor notes.

Is Pinot Nero the same as Pinot Noir?

Yes. Pinot Nero is the Italian name for Pinot Noir, and Spätburgunder is the German name for the same grape.

Is Champagne made from Pinot Noir?

Yes, Pinot Noir is the most planted grape in Champagne and appears in most blends alongside Chardonnay and Meunier. It dominates villages of the Montagne de Reims such as Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay.

Which Burgundy wines are made from Pinot Noir?

All red Burgundy is made from Pinot Noir, including grand crus such as Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Romanée-Conti and La Tâche, and villages such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Pommard and Volnay.

Is Pinot Noir related to Chardonnay?

Yes. DNA studies show Chardonnay is a cross of Pinot and Gouais Blanc, the same parent pair behind Gamay and Aligoté.

Other red grapes

All grape varieties →

Sources: en.wikipedia.org, champagne.fr

Last reviewed October 2026.