Pinot Noir

The Bourgogne wine board (BIVB) describes Pinot Noir as native to Bourgogne and says only a few generations separate it from the wild vines present in the forests even before Roman times. According to the BIVB, the first written record of the variety, under the name Pinot Noir or Plant Fin, dates from 1375, and its name was inspired by the tight formation of its bunches, resembling a pinecone. The OIV states that the origins of this ancient black grape can be traced back to 14th-century Burgundy, and that genetic research suggests crossings between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc have produced 21 grape varieties grown in France. In Germany, the German Wine Institute (DWI) records that Charles the Fat brought the variety to Lake Constance in 884 and that it was planted in the Rheingau in the 13th century.

• First written record, per the BIVB: 1375, under the name Pinot Noir or Plant Fin
• Name: inspired by the tight, pinecone-like formation of its bunches (BIVB)
• Germany: brought to Lake Constance in 884 by Charles the Fat and planted in the Rheingau in the 13th century (DWI)

VIVC (the Vitis International Variety Catalogue) records France as the country of origin of Pinot Noir, which it lists as variety number 9279. Jancis Robinson describes it as "This ancient eastern French vine". According to VIVC, the pedigree of Pinot Noir confirmed by markers names Savagnin (VIVC prime name Savagnin Blanc) as one parent, with the other parent recorded as unknown. VIVC records Pinot Noir as a parent of Gamay (VIVC prime name Gamay Noir), Pinotage, Schönburger (VIVC prime name Schoenburger) and St. Laurent (VIVC prime name Saint Laurent). Jancis Robinson notes that because the vine is so old there are many well-established mutations, such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier.

• Country of origin (VIVC): France
• Pedigree (VIVC, confirmed by markers): Savagnin (VIVC prime name Savagnin Blanc) and one unknown parent
• Offspring recorded by VIVC: Gamay, Pinotage, Schönburger, St. Laurent
• Mutations (Jancis Robinson): Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier

WSET describes Pinot Noir as a thin-skinned black grape variety whose wines have pale to medium colour intensity and low to medium tannin. It is naturally high in acidity, and its red-fruit characters range from fresh to cooked. WSET describes a red Bourgogne AOC as light- to medium-bodied, with low tannin, high acidity and fresh red-fruit flavours. Style shifts with climate. WSET notes that Central Otago produces New Zealand's ripest and most powerfully flavoured Pinot Noir, with medium to full body and medium tannins, and the OIV states that in more southern regions the alcohol level increases and the aromas become less distinctive.

WSET states that Pinot Noir only grows successfully in cool or moderate climates; if it is too warm, the grapes can lose their fresh fruit flavours and taste unattractively cooked. Jancis Robinson notes that it ripens relatively early, so it is not suitable for very warm regions, while many of the cooler regions in which it thrives suffer autumn rains which can rot its thin-skinned berries. The OIV lists it as widely grown in Europe (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, Spain) and in the New World (United States, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa), with 112,000 hectares worldwide in 2015. In Burgundy, Decanter notes that the greatest wines of red Burgundy are concentrated in the east and south-east-facing limestone hills of the Côte d'Or, and the BIVB says Pinot Noir likes the region's limestone soils, which range from the Upper Jurassic limestone of Givry to the fossil-rich Bajocian subsoil found in Gevrey-Chambertin. Decanter also notes that Pinot Noir is one of the major grape varieties in Champagne, where plantings of Pinot are even more extensive than in Burgundy itself.

• Burgundy (France): the region most closely associated with the variety, per WSET; all the red Bourgogne Grands Crus lie on the Côte de Nuits except Corton Grand Cru on the Côte de Beaune, per the BIVB
• Champagne (France): a major grape of the region alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, per Decanter
• Germany: around 11,519 hectares in 2023 and the country's number one red grape variety, per the DWI
• Oregon (USA): generally cooler than California owing to its northerly latitude and exposure to the Pacific Ocean, per WSET; a WSET article describes Willamette Valley Pinot Noir as often age-worthy, with high levels of acidity and flavours of red cherry, cranberry, mushroom, forest floor and spice
• California (USA): WSET names Santa Barbara County (cooled by sea breezes from the west and south), Sonoma (western parts cooled by Pacific Ocean breezes) and Los Carneros (cooled by morning fogs from the San Pablo Bay)
• Chile: the coastal Casablanca Valley is cooled by sea breezes and morning fogs from the Pacific Ocean, per WSET
• South Africa: production is focused on the coolest coastal regions, and strong southerly sea breezes encourage vibrant red-fruit flavours in Walker Bay, per WSET
• Australia: WSET names the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria as among the few regions cool enough for Pinot Noir; Jancis Robinson also names Geelong and Tasmania
• New Zealand: the premier black grape variety, well suited to Martinborough and Marlborough, with Central Otago producing the ripest and most powerfully flavoured examples, per WSET; Jancis Robinson also names Nelson and Waipara

Jancis Robinson lists raspberries, strawberries, cherries and violets among the flavours found in young red burgundies, evolving with time into a bouquet often reminiscent of game, liquorice and autumnal undergrowth. Decanter describes red berry aromas closest to raspberry and strawberry, often tinged with incense and cola-like spice, and notes that overripe Pinot Noir becomes jammy. For young Bourgogne, the BIVB lists aromas from fresh berries like blackcurrant and cherry to spicy pepper and cinnamon; over time these turn to cooked notes of jam or kirsch, with wild mushroom or truffle and animal notes like leather or fur. WSET describes a typical Californian Pinot Noir as showing ripe red-fruit flavours (strawberry, red cherry), often with notable flavours from oak (smoke, cloves, vanilla).

• Young red burgundy: raspberries, strawberries, cherries and violets (Jancis Robinson)
• With age: game, liquorice and autumnal undergrowth (Jancis Robinson); wild mushroom, truffle, leather (BIVB)
• Colour: usually bright ruby when young, becoming increasingly pale over time until it may take on a brick colour (BIVB)
• Overripe fruit: jammy (Decanter)

WSET notes that Pinot Noir is most commonly produced as a single-varietal wine, with the notable exception of sparkling wines such as Champagne, and the OIV notes that it can be blended with Chardonnay to make sparkling wines. It is often matured in oak, but WSET cautions that strong flavours of oak can easily overwhelm it; Decanter says it takes well to French oak. In Germany, the DWI distinguishes a classic type, traditionally made from very ripe grapes and not very colourful, mild and low in tannins, from a modern type with a strong red colour, more tannin, less acidity and often a short ageing period in small oak barrels. In North America, a WSET article reports producers increasingly pursuing leaner, fresher and more restrained wines, with organic and biodynamic viticulture growing on the West Coast and more single-vineyard bottlings.

• Mostly single-varietal; blended with Chardonnay for sparkling wine, particularly in Champagne (WSET, OIV)
• Oak: often used, but strong oak flavours can easily overwhelm the wine (WSET)
• Vineyard: low fertility, small clusters and very small berries give low yields, 3 to 9 t/ha in Burgundy, per the OIV

Jancis Robinson calls Pinot Noir a very transparent grape that can communicate the difference in terroir between adjacent plots of vineyard, citing Les Amoureuses in Chambolle, which tastes distinctly different from Le Musigny next door. The BIVB describes it as the quintessential interpreter of terroir, which is why red Bourgogne is traditionally made from this single variety and the label rarely names the grape, giving preference to the place of production. WSET sets out Burgundy's hierarchy: regional appellations such as Bourgogne AOC at the bottom, village appellations with more flavour concentration and complexity, premiers crus, and grand cru vineyards that have their own appellations and produce the most concentrated and complex wines with the greatest potential for ageing. WSET notes that most Pinot Noirs are fruity, refreshing and enjoyable to drink when young, while some very good or outstanding examples develop complex tertiary flavours in the bottle and may take several years to show their full potential.

• Bourgogne AOC: light- to medium-bodied and meant to be drunk while young and fresh (WSET)
• Grand cru vineyards: generally small, well-situated plots with their own appellations (WSET)
• Adjacent plots differ: Les Amoureuses versus Le Musigny in Chambolle (Jancis Robinson)

The German Wine Institute (DWI) calls Pinot Noir the number one red grape variety in Germany, where it is known as Spätburgunder. Around 11,519 hectares were planted in 2023, about 11 percent of Germany's total vineyard area, and the area has grown by more than 5,000 hectares since the beginning of the 1990s, according to the DWI. Alongside that 2023 total, the DWI lists Baden (5,029 hectares, with a focus on the Kaiserstuhl) as holding most of the vines, followed by the Palatinate (1,739 ha), Rheinhessen (1,504 ha), Württemberg (1,302 ha), the Rheingau (403 ha) and the Ahr (342 ha). Jancis Robinson notes that Pinot is now second only to Riesling in German vineyard area. The DWI records Klevner as a synonym in parts of Baden, and Jancis Robinson notes that the variety is often known as Blauburgunder in eastern Switzerland and is sometimes called Blauer Spätburgunder in Austria.

• Area: around 11,519 ha in 2023, about 11 percent of German vineyard area (DWI)
• Regions listed by the DWI with its 2023 total: Baden 5,029 ha, Palatinate 1,739 ha, Rheinhessen 1,504 ha, Württemberg 1,302 ha, Rheingau 403 ha, Ahr 342 ha
• Synonyms: Spätburgunder; Klevner in parts of Baden (DWI); Blauburgunder in eastern Switzerland (Jancis Robinson)

Every figure, date and descriptor in this article is drawn from the sources below. Last verified 2026-09-29.

• https://www.wsetglobal.com/media/13022/wset_l2wines_sessionplans_en_may2023_issue2.pdf
• https://www.oiv.int/public/medias/5888/en-distribution-of-the-worlds-grapevine-varieties.pdf
• https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/94/sp%C3%A4tburgunder-pinot-noir
• https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/wine-and-terroir/our-grape-varietals-our-colors/pinot-noir/the-bourgogne-wine-region-birthplace-of-the-pinot-noir-varietal,2798,10603.html
• https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=9279
• https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/red/pinot-noir
• https://www.decanter.com/wine/grape-varieties/pinot-noir/
• https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2025/august/coast-to-coast-pinot-noir-in-north-america/