"It's a difficult grape to cultivate, with thin skin, it's sensitive, and it ripens early. It's not a force like Cabernet, which can thrive anywhere and even blooms when neglected. No... Pinot Noir requires care and attention... yes... and indeed it only grows in certain small corners hidden in the world. And only the most patient and loving of growers can manage it. Only those who truly take the time to understand the potential of Pinot Noir can make it express itself to the fullest. And besides, come on, its aromas are the most enchanting, brilliant, exciting, subtle, and ancient on our planet." Let's borrow the words of Miles Raymond (played by Paul Giamatti) in the never-too-quoted Sideways, a 2004 film, to start our brief story about Pinot Noir.
Actually, there would already be all the necessary information to understand the grape and why it is so important and prestigious, perhaps the most prestigious, among all the grape varieties in the world. But if we add some historical notes to this description, the picture becomes even more complete.
Much of its nobility, as well as from its intrinsic characteristics, also derives from the long journey that this grape carries on its shoulders. Because if it's true that in ancient times grapes were often called by other names, some historians have no doubts that the vineyard mentioned in a document from 312 AD drafted by the citizens of the city of Autun, in what is now the Côte de Nuits in Burgundy, was indeed a Pinot Noir vineyard, already famous at that time throughout the surrounding territory for the high quality of the wines it managed to produce.
It will be the Benedictine monasteries, in the Middle Ages, to select and spread the grape; and it will always be thanks to the monks that Pinot Noir, crossed with other varieties, also spontaneously, will become the progenitor of a long list of grape varieties, many of which are still cultivated today (for example, Chardonnay). Among the main characteristics of Pinot Noir, there is also great variability: in fact, there are over fifty different types of Pinot, some of which are well known because they are often used in winemaking in various areas of the world, including Italy: three examples above all, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Grigio.
While Burgundy remains to this day the territory of excellence for Pinot Noir, it is equally true that the grape has crossed the borders of France and has found other territories, few in reality, where it can thrive. Outside Europe, especially in the United States, its chosen homelands are Oregon and the areas of Monterey and Santa Barbara County in central California; in Italy, areas where the grape has long been at home are Oltrepò Pavese and Trentino Alto Adige, especially. But there are also experiments throughout the boot.
The best value-for-money Pinot Noir Wines
In the following list, you will find some very good Pinot Noir wines, or wines based on Pinot Noir, reviewed in the Berebene 2024 guide, which cost less than 20 euros on the shelves of wine shops and online shops.
Lombardy
We are pleased to present the Pinot Nero Negar 2021 from Monterucco, a rich interpretation of the grape, from which intense aromas of dark berry fruits emerge with the accompaniment of a beautiful background of balsamic notes.
The Pinot Nero Pernero 2022 from Tenuta Travaglino opens on the nose with a wide range of small black and red fruits, then revealing itself in the mouth as full, airy, harmonious, and delicate. It has a delightful hint of violet, a slender structure, and a long, clear finish. Tenuta Travaglino, characterized by vineyards and woods in one of the most suggestive corners of Oltrepò Pavese, is managed by Cristina and Alessandro Comi, representatives of the latest generation of the family. An ancient medieval monastery transformed into a sumptuous manor villa now offers high-level hospitality. In the cellar, Achille Bergami, with the consultancy of Donato Lanati, works tirelessly to obtain the maximum from the prestigious Riesling Renano and Pinot Nero vineyards, which extend over a good part of the 80 hectares of vineyards. The company practices low-impact agriculture, in harmony with the surrounding territory.
This year we were struck by the seductive Terrazze Alte 2021, a wine of extraordinary integrity, not to be missed especially if you are passionate about this noble grape variety. Francesca Seralvo Bragiotti and the winemaker Stefano Malchiodi welcome you to the splendid Tenuta Mazzolino di Corvino San Quirico, one of the most beautiful in the area. Purchased by Enrico Bragiotti in the 1980s, the company offers suggestive hospitality, with guided tastings, taking advantage of the splendid 19th-century villa. The history of Mazzolino has always been inspired by sustainable agriculture and has always paid particular attention to Pinot Nero and Chardonnay, drawing inspiration from the great examples of Burgundy.
Aosta Valley
Maurizio Fiorano, with his Château Feuillet, operates in one of the most suitable territories for viticulture in the Aosta Valley, the central area of the region, the chosen land of Petit Rouge. But he also succeeds in working with other grapes. For example, Pinot Noir: what we propose here, from the 2021 vintage, brings out hints of cherry and spicy notes, evolving tannins, and a fresh palate.
South Tyrol
The Pinot Nero Luzia 2022 is one of the wines produced by Cantina San Paolo. The historic cooperative of San Paolo boasts over a century of history, and what was once a handful of winemakers has now become a group of 200 families who cultivate hillside vineyards mainly in the surrounding area, with some vineyard parcels among the oldest in the region. In the cellar, renovated a few years ago, a production is born that enhances the varietal expression of the grapes, with selections of old vineyards that highlight the fascinating bond between the grape variety, its chosen place, and human sensitivity.
The Pinot Nero Patricia 2021 is one of the wines produced by Girlan; the cooperative of Cornaiano relies on the passion and expertise of a dense array of winemakers, 200 in all, who along the gentle slopes of the Oltradige area cultivate 220 hectares of vineyards under the careful management of the technical group led by Gerhard Kofler. To complete the vineyard platform, there are small plots in the Bassa Atesina, particularly in the Mazzon area. In the cellar, the focus is on enhancing the historical grape varieties of the province and producing wines with a strong territorial expression. Absolute centrality for Pinot Nero, with several labels dedicated to the Burgundian grape variety.
Emilia-Romagna
Romagnoli operates in the Piacenza area and, in recent years, has managed to carve out a prominent place in quality bubbles, from varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. Precisely from this grape, they obtain the Ape, a red wine that in 2021 seems to have found its most dazzling form. The nose offers notes of dried flowers, rose, and pomegranate, the palate is slim, smooth, and with a good acidity. Located in a beautifully restored historic farmhouse at the gates of the Val Nure, Cantine Romagnoli represents one of the main wine-making realities of the Colli Piacentini. At the helm is Alessandro Perini, a director and winemaker with experience despite his young age. Year after year, Alessandro is realizing the project of positioning this reality as a reference point for the production of Metodo Classico in the province of Piacenza. The company also boasts organic certification and has about 45 hectares of vineyard land, with a predominant presence of Pinot Nero.
Umbria
The excellent San Giovanni in Comunaglia 2019, a blend of Pinot Nero and Barbera, made it to the final. It stands out for its notes of faded rose petals, violet, dry leaves on the nose, and a lively, sapid palate with a good length that give the wine charm and a very pleasant drinkability.
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