“Only somebody who really takes the time to understand pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh, its flavors. They’re just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and … ancient on the planet.”
These are the actual words with which the character, the wine-obsessed Miles Raynolds used to describe his favourite Pinot Noir, in the Oscar-winning 2004 movie Sideways. In truth, he may be talking about his personal taste but he isn’t far from wrong when describing this red wine as one of the world’s oldest and most beloved drinks. Winemakers credit this film with bringing the deserved attention and popularity to Pinot red wine calling it “the Sideways Effect”. So, let’s learn a thing or two more about this exquisite drink before moving on to its best varieties.
What Is Pinot Noir?
This type of wine is made from a black-skinned grape that thrives in cooler climates. It’s one of France’s oldest red wines, belonging to the species Vitis vinifera and it was originally cultivated by the Cistercian monks in the Burgundy region in France. It’s arguably the most charismatic of all wine grapes as well, and the hardest to cultivate right. What makes it incredibly seductive is the right mix of fruit, spices, and aromas accentuated by its long, smooth finish.
Due to its popularity and difficulty to grow, it’s also considered to be one of the world’s most expensive wines. So, because a bottle of this wine can be a real splurge, people are often worried about making the wrong pick. If you have been wondering how to choose the perfect pinot noir you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating world of this drink by including our picks of the best Pinot red wines produced around the world.
The Best Pinot Noir Wines
While Burgundy is the most famous growing region, this wine is grown nearly everywhere. There are a growing number of vineyards that are beginning to make a name for themselves, and some of the more affordable, fruit-flavoured options come from Oregon, California, Argentina, and even Australia and New Zealand.
Levantine Hill
Levantine Hill is the perfect merger of two vineyards right from the heart of Yarra Valley. This wine is a pure testament to the passion and toil of dedicated human hands and the man’s tenuous relationship with the nurturing love of Mother Nature. This range offers a wide variety of traditional wines including the classics Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot.
The Pinot red wine from Levantine Hill is a deeply complexed wine with a refined aromatic profile featuring characters of strawberries, black cherry, and spices. Its sweet fruit and sour cherry notes are delivered along with the savoury aspects with a suggestion of minerality, stewed apple skin, cinnamon, and almond meal texture. Beautifully balanced from ageing in the finest French oak, its silky texture becomes even more supple with careful cellaring. This wine has been awarded at London Wine Competition, scoring 94 points.
Stonier Mornington
Mornington Peninsula has rapidly become a cherished source and renowned wine producer of Australian wines such as Pinot wine and Chardonnay. Its unique geography and cool maritime climate offer the perfect conditions that contribute to the making of highly distinctive flavours such as those of the Pinot. Their Stonier Pinot is a powerful blend of deep red fruits, plum, acidity, woodsmoke, and a wonderfully smooth texture. The fruit is intense enough to stand up to 43% new French oak, which only adds to the wine’s inherent power.
Every year in this region there’s a celebration held that’s called ‘The Mornington Peninsula Wine Show’ which is a popular event hosted by the Mornington Vignerons Association (MPVA) since 2003. This show supports and displays the region’s capabilities at producing some of the finest Australian Pinot Noir wines in front of a local and international audience. An unparalleled selection of Pinot wines is put on a display to be enjoyed and savored by true pinot lovers, complemented with structured and walk-around tastings, winery visits, and meals prepared by acclaimed Mornington Peninsula chefs.
Giant Steps
The Giant Steps is a wine brand established in 1997 by Phill Sexton in Yarra Valley Australia. He had a sole objective of cultivating high-quality and authentic Chardonnay and Pinot fruit for which he found the cool climate, and the good quality of the soil to be the perfect fit and location to cultivate them.
The Giant Steps Pinot wine is exclusively made from vibrant red and blue fruits featuring an underlying earthiness with white mushrooms, truffles, savory spice, and forest floor characters. This is an elegant wine with breadth, structure, and viscosity on the palate. This brand has won many accolades and awards, and it became most famous when the wines from its stables were featured in the top 100 wines in the world.
Joseph Chromy
Among the many types of Tasmanian wines, Joseph Chromy Pinot red has been recognised as one of the best and most well-known. Its founder Joseph Chromy established his winery in 2007 at the ripe old age of 76, on the island of Tasmania. The Joseph Chromy Pinot is a delicate wine with s vibrant colour, exhibiting the perfect flavoured mix of black cherry and raspberry fruits with perfumed violets and subtle spices.
Neither light nor overly concentrated, this s a perfectly weighted wine for pairing with many foods such as Carpaccio and cured meats, spicy dishes, duck, and venison.
Ritual Casablanca
The Ritual Casablanca wine is produced using organic methods in the Casablanca Valley of Chile. This region has become synonymous with some of the best wines offering ideal conditions for creating a balanced, biodiverse landscape for producing healthy vines.
The Ritual Casablanca Pinot is a medium-bodied wine featuring red strawberry, cherry, lemon aromas and flavours. It is a quite expensive wine, loved for its red fruit and spice notes along with its smooth, silky, and velvety finish.
