Panel tasting: New World singlevineyard Pinot Noirs
100 wines tasted
The marriage between Pinot Noir and the complex array of soils created by a geological fault that formed the low hills facing east across the Saône plain has helped give Burgundy its reputation as one of the world’s greatest wineproducing regions. And for decades New World producers have been pursuing the magic that red Burgundy can achieve.
Pinot Noir was first planted in Oregon in the early 1960s. In 1968, Chile’s search for cooler areas identified Chimbarongo in Colchagua Valley as the best spot for the variety at that time. Many other countries outside Europe joined the quest to make great Pinot Noir, including New
Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Argentina and more recently Uruguay and Brazil.
Confident strides
Burgundy remains the benchmark for quality and style. Many estates still seek to emulate its Pinot Noirs, but an increasing number of producers have acquired sufficient experience and confidence over the years to follow their own path. Combined with better fruit quality from vineyards gaining in maturity, this has led to producers developing their approach and increasingly making wines that reflect their own sense of place.
An interest in more terroir-driven wines has inspired quality-focused producers to explore whether differences could come from single-vineyard sites in the style of a Burgundy grand cru. This trend has gained momentum since the turn of the century and will continue as long as the opportunity for financial gains for producers exists, and the increase in better-quality wine continues to satisfy progressively demanding and sophisticated consumers.
In the US, Oregon, Carneros and cooler parts of Sonoma offer excellent potential. Tasmania, Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley and Geelong have been building a reputation in Australia.
In New Zealand, besides Central Otago and Nelson, Martinborough has surprised critics and delighted consumers with convincing style, displaying exceptional generosity and purity of fruit. Both eastern and western Canada have shown potential, and cooler parts of South Africa such as Elgin and Hemel-en-Aarde have entered the frame with exceptional examples. Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil remain minor players, but Chilean producers have been gradually improving, gaining consistency and demonstrating promise.
This Decanter panel tasting comes at an opportune moment as it enables comparison between styles, and an assessment of each region’s genuine potential. Single-vineyard wines connect the variety with a precise location, helping to enhance the perception that wine is an artisanal product.
With consumers increasingly looking for wines that are genuine, authentic and display a sense of place, this trend towards single-vineyard wines shows no sign of abating.
Originally from Brazil, Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a consultant, wine educator and DWWA judge
‘Singlevineyard wines connect the variety with a precise location’