Decanter Cellar: 18 must-try Pinot Noirs

Pinot Noir is an old variety. And while we don’t know when it first appeared, we do know it is the parent of other varieties such as Chardonnay and Gamay.

Unsurprisingly, its homeland is Burgundy, where it rose to fame in the Middle Ages – though known initially as ‘Plant Fin’, ‘Noirien’ or ‘Pinoz’.

Since then it has more than spread its wings, hanging its hat in both hemispheres, especially in cooler climates where it shines, delivering wines with a breezy, crunchy fruit character that take on ethereal, earthy qualities with age.

It cuts a fine partner with many dishes, from lighter meats such as chicken, through to rich beef and mushroom stews.

Below is a rundown of the regions you should be looking at if you’re a Pinot adherent, along with a selection of wines that have grasped the attention of Decanter’s experts over the last 12 months.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 18 brilliant Pinot Noirs

Burgundy

The natural starting point for Pinot Noir, Burgundy has centuries of know-how under its belt, and unsurprisingly remains a source of wonderful iterations from village-level cuvées to the finest of grands crus.

However, production is limited and the fame and quality of the region’s wines have led to massively increased demand and, with it, soaring prices.

Rest of France

Though generally less-renowned than Burgundy, there are pockets of France where Pinot also thrives.

The other most-planted area is Champagne. Today it forms the backbone of many cuvées and is instrumental in rosé, but some producers are trying their hand at resurrecting the still Pinot Noirs (Coteaux Champenois) that used to be common before sparkling wines became the dominant style.

Sancerre is another area once renowned for its Pinot Noirs which are enjoying a small renaissance, and delight those in-the-know with their silky elegance.

And then there is Alsace, which is often forgotten as a producer of red wines but with a continental climate that allows Pinot to ripen nicely alongside its full-bodied whites.

Even southern France has some Pinot to be found, in the cooler, higher parts of western Languedoc-Roussillon, such as Limoux.

Germany

Under the moniker of Spätburgunder, Germany is a treasure trove of spectacular Pinot Noirs that rival many of those coming out of the barrels in Burgundy.

The grape is grown throughout the country, but the southern region of Baden and the more northerly Ahr Valley are often highlighted as being Germany’s key Spätburgunder regions.

That said, the grape is grown widely, including in the main regions of Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Nahe as well as Saale-Unstrut in the east.

California

The Golden State is blessed with abundant sunshine, which, on paper, doesn’t make it a natural bedfellow for Pinot, yet a combination of higher elevation vineyards and climatic events (such as the morning fogs in Sonoma County) dovetail to produce some of the New World’s finest Pinot Noirs.

Aside from the myriad AVAs within Sonoma that produce great Pinot Noir (such as Russian River Valley and Fort Ross-Seaview), other regions to look for in California include: Sta Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County, Mendocino, the Santa Cruz Mountains and Anderson Valley.

Oregon

Heading north from California, Oregon has forged a spectacular reputation for Burgundian varieties.

In the sub-region of Willamette Valley, a clutch of famous Burgundian producers (Drouhin-Laroze and de Villaine among them) have set up shop, producing wines that combine Burgundian elegance with a little North American suaveness.

Look out as well for the sub-AVA of Yamhill-Carlton, which is a particular enclave for fine Pinots in Oregon.

Decanter‘s North American editor, Clive Pursehouse, compiled a list of Oregon Pinot Noirs under $50 a bottle as part of his coverage of the 2022 vintage last year.

And he also picked an Oregon Pinot Noir as his US wine of the year in 2024 as well – Abbott Claim’s Due North Pinot Noir (see note below).

Australia

The best place to look for Australian Pinot is the cooler south, in Victoria and Tasmania.

The former’s wine regions of Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley and Gippsland have carved out excellent reputations for Pinot Noir. Meanwhile, Tasmania’s aptitude for Pinot is growing fast.

New Zealand

Pinot first went into the ground in New Zealand towards the tail-end of the 19th century, although it wasn’t until the 1970s that it achieved commercial lift-off.

The grape thrives right across the country from warmer Hawke’s Bay, to Marlborough, Nelson, North Canterbury and Central Otago.

New Zealand’s Pinot scene is now so well-developed that Decanter publishes a dedicated report about the wines.

Click here to find all notes and scores for Pinot Noir

South Africa

The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in Walker Bay is possibly the go-to region for Pinot Noir in South Africa.

Blessed with a maritime climate due to its coastal location, the vines here also reap the benefits of cooling afternoon sea breezes that aid gentle, extended ripening.

Elgin and Stellenbosch are two more areas where Pinot Noir works well in the Cape.

Pinot Noir is also a parent grape (along with Cinsault) of the South African variety Pinotage.

Chile

Bio Bio, Casablanca and San Antonio are the most famed regions for Pinot in Chile, although fine examples can be found throughout the country, where cooler climates marry with Chile’s renowned sunshine hours to deliver optimal ripeness.

Contemporary winemaking trends have led to dialling into fruit purity and reining in oak influence.

Around the world

If you’re keeping an eye out for Pinot Noir in less obvious locations then here are a few suggestions. Canada produces some excellent Pinots around both the Great Lakes of Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in the west.

Romania has a long history of producing very good value Pinot Noir, as do parts of northern Italy. Even England is starting to make some still Pinot Noir – at times with surprisingly pleasing results.

Argentine Patagonia is a rapidly developing area and one where this delicate variety is staking out a firm claim to fame.

18 Pinot Noirs recommended by Decanter‘s experts

Wines are drawn from across those tasted by the Decanter team and contributors since January 2024 and are listed in score order.

Related articles

• Learn and read about Pinot Noir
• 2023 Burgundy Vintage Report on Decanter Premium
• (Re)Discovering Pinot Noir: 12 great bottles to try from around the world