Red Wine

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir’s mythical home Burgundy has produced some of the world’s most inspiring wines.

The exhilarating personality of Pinot Noir has seen the wine world take up the fickle challenge to grow the ‘heartbreak grape’! Pinot is difficult to grow, demanding low yields if you want to achieve quality, with an incredibly short picking window to get it right, and, unforgiving in the winery.

Where is it grown?

You’ll find it in Germany, Austria, many other regions in France, America, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Plantings in the New World expanded rapidly from the 1980’s and continue to grow today.
The early plantings are now mature and we’re seeing balanced old vines produce high-quality fruit. Beyond vine maturity, winemakers have now had decades of experience making Pinot and are producing sophisticated wines of ever increase quality. Given the demand and exponential price growth of Burgundy, that’s something we’re thankful for!

In Australia, initial plantings were of two main clones MV6 and D5V12, also known as ‘Upright’ and ‘Droopy’ respectively in reference to their growing habit. MV6 has definitely been the winner of the two! In the late 1990’s, there was n influx of the ‘Dijon clones’ particularly 114, 115, 667, and, 777. You’ll often see these clonal names on wine labels. More recently the Pommard clone, and, Abel, initially smuggled into New Zealand from the vineyards of Romanée-Conti have made it to Australia.

In the early days, you’d see bottles of Pinot + Hermitage coming out of the Hunter. Now, we see the cool climate regions in Victoria: Yarra Valley; Mornington; Macedon; and; Gippsland, South Australia: Adelaide Hills, and, most regions across Tasmania making the most exciting wines.

Martinborough, Marlborough, and, Otago in New Zealand are making some wonderful wines.

What does it taste like?

Like any variety, there is an incredible diversity of flavours, aromas, and, textures to be found in Pinot.

From fresh red fruits to darker, spicier fruit. Earthy, savoury, truffley, perfumed, floral characters are all in the mix. We see aroma, flavour and texture layered in from inclusion of stalks, whole bunches, techniques like carbonic maceration, cold soaking (maceration), oak use and beyond. In their youth, good Burgundies are often tightly wound, and less giving. Plush, supple textures are the hallmark of good Burgundy, although some more robust wines are a pleasure to devour as well. As a generalisation, we’ve seen a shift to a more gentle extraction of tannins and wines that are more approachable by those who have historically made more extracted Pinot in Burgundy. Leroux’s efforts in Pommard and Faiveley’s efforts across the region are good examples.

They often go into a dip for a few years after bottling and emerge transformed. A fully mature top-end Burgundy is entrancing, intoxicating, and, has such incredible expression and personality that you can be happy just smelling it! The secondary development of these wines offers incredible harmony, they become seamless, complexity lifts to a new level, yet it is hard to pick out any individual flavours and aromas. The best manage the trick of having incredible depth of length of flavour yet a light presence, dancing across your palate!

We’re writing a series of posts exploring the villages of Burgundy that you can read in the Wine Bites Mag.

The counterpoint is that Burgundy can be a dismal experience with many wines banking on the name and classification of their vineyard to charge prices they are not worthy of. It can be a minefield if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Equally, there are still some affordable hidden gems!

For many years the new world tried to make great Burgundy instead of great Pinot. With growing experience, confidence, and, balanced, old vine fruit, new world makers are simply making the best possible expressions of Pinot they can from their sites. Broad experimentation is still ongoing as always with wine, but, has slowed a little. Focus on fruit sorting and gentle handling has allowed almost infinite control of the ‘infusion’ of tannins, colour, and, flavour from each berry, as opposed to extraction. Great experience with élévage has resulted in great clarity of how to expose the wines to oxygen and sulphur and achieve more expression from the end wines.

All in all new world wines are competing with Burgundy up to all but the highest level wines, and, with the prices of Burgundy on upward trajectory are great value drinking.

New world wines tend to be more immediately giving and opulent than their Burgundian counterparts. Not as long-lived, they still undergo a transformation as they age, although, perhaps, not to the same degree as the greatest Burgundies.

On top of all of this, climate, change is having a dramatic effect, both in the New and Old World. Vintages are more extreme in Burgundy, picking times are earlier than they were a decade ago, although partly as a result of balanced old vines in the new world.

The best wines will come from the growers and makers who are agile, react and learn from the change.


2019 Clos de Tart


Clos de Tart 1er Cru ‘La Forge de Tart’ 2019

Pinot Noir | Morey-Saint-Denis, France

“This comes from the section known as La Forge, plus a young vine planting from 2011, and “Ballonge 2” where the plant selection could be better – it will be top-grafted shortly. One third whole bunch in the Ballonge component makes about 15% in all. This is a glowing purple colour, without the black. A light reduction on the nose which later shows as toasty barrel. Very complete, sensual, with good unforced acidity, more red fruit than black. Still a certain masculinity. Surprising leng
$780
$760ea in any 3+
$740ea in any 6+

Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole 2019

Pinot Noir | Morey-Saint-Denis, France

“70% new wood. Purple black, with a light reduction on the nose, but a massive heart to it. Waves of fruit, red and black fighting it out, incredible intensity through the middle, a very good little touch of acidity at the back. Clos de Tart is never going to be a sensual wine though there is plenty of flesh on the bones. Perfectly judged ripeness here. Probably a bit more than 50% whole bunch has been used overall, but the decision is made for each individual cuvee. I retasted the 2019 having

Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole MAGNUM 2019

Pinot Noir | Morey-Saint-Denis, France

“70% new wood. Purple black, with a light reduction on the nose, but a massive heart to it. Waves of fruit, red and black fighting it out, incredible intensity through the middle, a very good little touch of acidity at the back. Clos de Tart is never going to be a sensual wine though there is plenty of flesh on the bones. Perfectly judged ripeness here. Probably a bit more than 50% whole bunch has been used overall, but the decision is made for each individual cuvee. I retasted the 2019 having

“A much more floral suffused nose reflects notes of essence of plum, cassis, black raspberry liqueur, herbal tea and discreet wood influence. There is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the sappy, refined and tautly muscular larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate on the lingering and firmer finish that is shaped by relatively fine-grained tannins on the balanced finish where a subtle hint of warmth slowly emerges. This is still very compact and clearly evolving but it should be terrific in time.” Drink 2034+
Allen Meadows – Burghound.com 93-95 Points

“70% new wood. Purple black, with a light reduction on the nose, but a massive heart to it. Waves of fruit, red and black fighting it out, incredible intensity through the middle, a very good little touch of acidity at the back. Clos de Tart is never going to be a sensual wine though there is plenty of flesh on the bones. Perfectly judged ripeness here. Probably a bit more than 50% whole bunch has been used overall, but the decision is made for each individual cuvee. I retasted the 2019 having just tasted the 2018 wines from the estate, which showed the 2019 in a fresher light. The bouquet holds up really well and there is a terrific mineral crunch to finish. The red fruit starts to take the lead and the precision of this first class Clos de Tart was clear to see.”
Jasper Morris – insideburgundy.com 96-99 Points

“The 2019 Clos de Tart Grand Cru is very promising indeed, wafting from the glass with notes of wild berries, peonies, rose hips, warm spices, sweet soil tones and musk. Full-bodied, velvety and layered, it’s deep and concentrated, with lively acids, refined tannins and a long, perfumed finish. Matured in 70% new oak, this is a much more dynamic, classically proportioned and, indeed, soulful wine than its 2018 counterpart.”
William Kelley – Parker’s Wine Advocate 94-96 Points

“The 2019 Clos de Tart Grand Cru is first vintage where winemaker Alessandro Noli has 100% responsibility and so the buck stops with him. Firstly that dialling down of new wood was the correct decision because already it is seamlesly entwined within the aromatics, allowing the quite plush Dorset plum, bilberry and light estuarine aromas to flourish from the glass. Impressive delineation here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, very well judged acidity, great harmony from the start. Good salinity, that saltiness leaving a residues on the tongue and leaves it tingling and it feels reassuringly persistent. I think this is a great success for Noli and doubtless it will age well over the next 25-30 years. Welcome to the new Clos de Tart.”
Neal Martin – Vinous 96-98 Points

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Filters & Sorting

Showing 305 Delicious Wines!

Old vine depth & persistence
Hallmark Guillard length, depth, energy and juicy natural acid. A bolder incarnation than the highly perfumed 2019. Still very much brooding, demanding time. Everything is in it's place. As usual the tannin quality and mouthfeel are superb. Patience! This will be stunning in 15+ years needing at least 5 to starting showing its full potential. Deep crimson deep purple tints, very deep color. The nose is layered with berry fruit, raspberry, wild strawberry, again cassis enters the fray with
$121
$116ea in any 3+
$111ea in any 6+
“Almost black in the centre. Black cherry, very powerful indeed with some firm tannins and still very good acidity. Sterner and weightier, not for the ethereal minded. The wine had not yet been adjusted for sulphur and a second sample was fresher, though along similar lines.” Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy 89-92 Points “The 2020 Maranges La Fussière 1er Cru which contains slightly less whole bunch than the Village, has a more austere, well-defined, stony bouquet featuring dark berry
$121
$116ea in any 3+
$111ea in any 6+
Old vine depth & persistence

Domaine SC Guillard Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes ‘Réniard’ 2019

Pinot Noir | Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte-de-Nuits

There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured Deep crimson deep purple tints, very deep color. The nose is layered with berry fruit, raspberry, wild strawberry, again cassis enters the fray with some blackberry fruit notes. There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured with spice, red berry loads of silky tannins and a long driven finish. The old vines providing depth and
$123
$118ea in any 3+
$113ea in any 6+
Old vine depth & persistence

Domaine SC Guillard Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes ‘Réniard’ 2018

Pinot Noir | Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte-de-Nuits

There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured Deep crimson deep purple tints, very deep color. The nose is layered with berry fruit, raspberry, wild strawberry, again cassis enters the fray with some blackberry fruit notes. There is lovely perfume lift and a purity of fruit. The palate is beautifully balanced and finely structured with spice, red berry loads of silky tannins and a long driven finish. The old vines providing depth and
$125
$120ea in any 3+
$115ea in any 6+
Here too there is a mentholated top note present on the more sauvage and forest floor nuanced aromas of red and dark currant. I very much like the sense of underlying tension suffusing the even more mineral-driven middle weight flavors that coat the palate with dry extract that buffers the very firm tannic spine shaping the beautifully long finale. This serious, austere and compact effort is quite tightly wound and a wine that is unlikely to make for especially interesting drinking young; then a
$127
$122ea in any 3+
$117ea in any 6+
Benchmark Villages Gevrey
Layers of concentrated fruit and a refined texture this is a superb effort full of personality! Deeper crimson. Red fruits edging into darker fruits quite spicy floral lift cherry liquor notes. Detailed with a deeper earthy note. Lovely volume and mouth filling texture very fine tannins with a super fresh mid palate with plenty of energy and tension. Drink 2023-2040 Tom Carson
$127
$122ea in any 3+
$117ea in any 6+
Benchmark Villages Gevrey
Layers of concentrated fruit and a refined texture this is a superb effort full of personality! Very deep color. The is more new oak here to be seen of first impressions that elevate the overall complexity and class of the aromas, it is amply carried by the depth of fruit, wild strawberry, black cherry, blackberry and plum with a brooding background. The palate is suitably concentrated with ample extract and structure that has layers of fruit and texture. Very classy effort. The finish long and
$129
$110 in any 3+
$105ea in any 6+
Benchmark Villages Gevrey
Layers of concentrated fruit and a refined texture this is a superb effort full of personality! Very deep color. The is more new oak here to be seen of first impressions that elevate the overall complexity and class of the aromas, it is amply carried by the depth of fruit, wild strawberry, black cherry, blackberry and plum with a brooding background. The palate is suitably concentrated with ample extract and structure that has layers of fruit and texture. Very classy effort. The finish long and
$131
$126ea in any 3+
$121ea in any 6+
Benchmark Villages Gevrey
Layers of concentrated fruit and a refined texture this is a superb effort full of personality! Very deep color. The is more new oak here to be seen of first impressions that elevate the overall complexity and class of the aromas, it is amply carried by the depth of fruit, wild strawberry, black cherry, blackberry and plum with a brooding background. The palate is suitably concentrated with ample extract and structure that has layers of fruit and texture. Very classy effort. The finish long and
$133
$128ea in any 3+
$123ea in any 6+
Pavelot's Top wine rates as one of the few remaining bargains in Burgundy! Delicious. Energy, length & depth, fine even velvety tannins. A little musk, red and darker berry fruits. Nice bit of baking spice, roast beetroot / blood, savoury with a whiff of graphite, together, fun, excellent drinking. A delicacy wrapping a little power. Love the line and length. Great harmony and expression. Plenty more to come from this with time. Also available as a Magnum!
$133
$128ea in any 3+
$123ea in any 6+
Fascinating tasting this with Burghound's note and next to a 2020 Guillard 'Reniard' from Gevrey-Chambertin. The villages of Savigny-lès-Beaune and Chorey-lès-Beaune tend to show the sunshine a little more compared to those both further south and north. Dark and clearly ripe, Pavelot has maintained energy and vitality. The tannins build to a crescendo along the palate balancing the richness with a fine acid. The shape and flow are generous, yet linear with that quality tannin and persistent fr
$133
$128ea in any 3+
$123ea in any 6+

Domaine Racine Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2019

Pinot Noir | Santa Rita Hills, America

The 2019 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is an attractive, ethereal wine. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco and sage are some of the aromas and flavors that open in the glass. I would give this a few years in bottle to soften. This is an especially savory style of Pinot with plenty of aromatic presence, and the fruit pushed into the background. The Sta. Rita Hills cuvée is a blend of fruit from Domaine de la Côte and La Encantada. Antonio Galloni, Vinous 90 Points
$135
$130ea in any 3+
$125ea in any 6+
Yes, you can still buy Burgundy at a decent price! Thankfully Savigny-Les-Beaune has yet to scale the stratospheric price mountains of its neighbours and still offers excellent value. Javillier's, 100% destemmed, has fine plush tannins over beautifully perfumed red fruits, strawberries and cream with the faintest wiff of char from discretely balanced oak. Long with great persistence, excellent composure, and layers of complexing earth, mineral characters. Delicious rendition.
$137
$132ea in any 3+
$127ea in any 6+
Notes of oak toast and menthol surround the moderately high-toned aromas of red and dark cherry, plum and warm earth. There is terrific intensity to the vibrant, intense and well-detailed medium weight flavors that also brim with minerality on the even more compact, austere and firmly constituted finale. The quality is excellent though I underscore that this is presently a block of stone and it would be largely pointless to open a bottle before at least 7 to 8 years have passed. Dinrk: 2034+ ♥
$137
$132ea in any 3+
$127ea in any 6+

Domaine Louis Boillot Gevrey-Chambertin 2017

Pinot Noir | Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy

Cracking example of Gevrey-Chambertin. There’s a theme through Louis Boillot’s wines of harmony, and, delicacy with intensity. Cracking example of Gevrey-Chambertin. There's a theme through Louis Boillot's wines of harmony, and, delicacy with intensity. The old iron fist in the velvet glove. The reduction Meadows noted is all but gone now and the fruit is showing fine form. A lovely shape to the palate with that true to domain plush, supple tannin. A wine of great precision and expression.
$139
$134ea in any 3+
$129ea in any 6+

Benjamin Leroux Savigny-lès-Beaune 2021

Pinot Noir | Savigny-lès-Beaune, Burgundy

The lion’s share of this vintage comes from the outstanding Aux Fourneaux lieu-dit in the north of the village. Leroux works with lots of Pinot Fin here (a high-quality, low-yielding cultivar of Pinot Noir); vines that give low yields and great concentration. Les Conardises also contributed this year, and both parcels were fully destemmed. The wine was matured in 600-litre barrels. “Also quite a pale colour. The bouquet is a little more pronounced in fresh raspberry fruit, pleasin
$141
$136ea in any 3+
$131ea in any 6+