8th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout
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Summit Results

Pinot Noir…

is notoriously difficult to grow and vinify. If Pinot Noir grapes are to become unforgettable wine in your palate memory, wines of elegance and subtlety the stars have to line up.

is all about terroir. The vineyards must be in the right place (cool climates) with the right soils (well-drained). Terroir [According to the Wine Lover’s Companion: French for "soil" and used in the phrase gout de terroir ("taste of the soil"] refers to the earthy flavor of some wines. When French wine producers use the term terroir, it not only includes reference to the type of soil (chalky, claylike, gravelly, sandy), but also to other geographic factors that might influence the quality of the finished wine like altitude, position relative to the sun, angle of incline, and water drainage. In the United States, wine producers use the term Microclimate to encompass the same considerations.
needs good weather. Mother Nature must provide a good growing season. Early bud break, warm days (but not too warm) and cool nights allowing for long hang time.

depends on a winemaker being at his or her best.The great Pinot Noir winemaker is an artist. The difference in my mind between a good Pinot Noir winemaker and an amazing one is similar to the difference between a good cook and a great chef. A good winemaker can follow the rules and make a good, even an excellent wine. The great Pinot winemaker has an innate ability to “read” the vines and the wines and make truly sublime Pinot Noir.

creates a lasting impression. Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate and in the memory.

is difficult to ferment.
Andre Tchelistcheff, Beaulieu Vineyards' legendary winemaker from 1938 to 1968 and a mentor to a whole generation of winemakers, is rumored to have said that "god made Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas the devil made Pinot Noir." Difficulties plague Pinot Noir at every step from propagation through bottle aging. No single grape type is more temperamental or difficult to work with than Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir ferments violently partially due to the 18 amino acids present in the grapes. It is difficult to retain the color in the wine and can be tricky to maintain desirable aromas and flavors through fermentation and aging.

belongs on a psychiatrist’s couch. Pinot Noir has multiple personalities. It is complex and delicate, temperamental, fragile and difficult to grow, a challenging wine to ferment, finicky, silky and sexy, and reflective of the Gout de Terroir (the flavor of the soil). Pinot Noir lovers have endless adjectives to describe the flavors and aromas of these intoxicating wines. Fruit flavors and aromas are varied including black cherry, raspberry, cranberry, fresh strawberry, strawberry jam, Bing cherry, black cherry, and blueberry. Look for rose petal, cinnamon, vanilla, anise, black pepper, and an array of assorted other spices.

is unstable.
At least genetically so. The parent vine can produce offspring that have markedly different characteristics - fruit that varies in size and shape of the berry or cluster. The grapes may have different aromas, flavors and the vines may produce more or less fruit than their parent vine. There are 200 to possibly 11,000 clones of Pinot Noir worldwide. Compare that to twelve identifiable clones of Cabernet Sauvignon.

is vulnerable.
Almost every problem known to affect vines is common in Pinot Noir vineyards. Pinot Noir survives well in cold climates but it is very susceptible to Spring frosts. The sharpshooter, the insect that carries Pierce's Disease, finds Pinot Noir vineyards a good place to thrive. Pinot Noir vines over ten years old are very susceptible to leaf-roll virus. Birds often feast on Pinot Noir grapes since the vines do not produce adequate leaf coverage.

is not inky.
Don't expect deep inky colors like you find in Cabernet Sauvignon. The color of Pinot Noir ranges from a light red almost rose to a deep garnet.

is one of the most complex of all varietals. Pinot Noir should be delicate with deliciously ripe, concentrated strawberry, raspberry, cherry or other berry flavors and can have mushroom or barnyard overtones and luscious spices. It is difficult to describe all the flavors and styles of Pinot Noir. It is estimated that there are more than 11,000 different clones worldwide that produce a wide variety of styles from heavy, jammy, "in your face" wines, to light, delicate but complex wines and all possible combinations in between. Pinot Noir can be full-bodied and rich but should not be heavy or high in alcohol. The wine should have acids without being acidic and balanced tannins without being tannic. If your glass of Pinot Noir is special, the mouth feel will be rich and silky if not outright velvety. Pinot Noir at its best is sexy; elegant, smooth and velvety on the tongue...satin sheets in a bottle. Wonderful Pinot Noir caresses and embraces.

is good for you. Pinot Noir is three to four times higher in resveratrol than other varietals, especially when it is grown in cooler and more humid climates.

is an exciting wine to explore. Pinot Noir lovers are adventurers, always seeking the next great and best ever Pinot Noir and will often go to extremes to find a unique or new Pinot Noir that they have heard about. They are willing to taste through a lot of wines to find it. Some may call us obsessed. Perhaps Pinot Noir lovers belong on the psychiatrists’ couch too.

So call our 8th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout panelists a little bit crazy, here’s what they have to say about the Pinots they tasted. Complete results with comments by gender.