Pinot Noir 101 - Why is Pinot Noir known for being such a difficult wine to make?
Clos de la Tech presents the first video in our Pinot Noir 101 series, "Why is Pinot Noir known for being a difficult wine to make?" with Tim McGarr.
Legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, who pioneered Beaulieu
Vineyards’ George de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, once
said that “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot
Noir.” That description came from the extreme difficulty of producing fine
Pinot Noirs from bud set, through weather and disease threats, to
capricious fermentation and ageing.
As prominent wine consultant Tim McGarr says in the following video, Pinot
Noir presents many challenges that test one’s skills as a winemaker. It can
be said that Pinot Noir (French for black pine cone, based on its conical
berry cluster shape) is the Goldilocks of wine. It requires not too hot, not
too cold, but “just right” well-drained soil, preferably limestone. Spring
winds and rains can damage the grapes, washing away the flowers and
buds, and can lead to powdery mildew and fungus. The grapes, unlike
Cabernet Sauvignon, are thin-skinned and susceptible to hail, animals,
insects and sudden shifts in weather.
After harvest, the juice requires careful and gentle handling. It ferments at
its own speed, stopping and starting because of temperature fluctuations,
and it performs best when transported to barrels by gravity feed rather than
pumping.
As McGarr says, “If you go through all those stages, meet the challenges of
this finicky grape, finish all of that with your sense of humor intact, Pinot
Noir can be one of the most beguiling and enchanting wines, with fantastic
bouquet, wonderful texture and aromas, great length of flavor, with spice
and complex red and black fruits. The best wines will continue to age well
for the next 10 or 15 years.”
As Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon said, Pinot Noir is “sex in a glass.”
Legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, who pioneered Beaulieu
Vineyards’ George de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, once
said that “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot
Noir.” That description came from the extreme difficulty of producing fine
Pinot Noirs from bud set, through weather and disease threats, to
capricious fermentation and ageing.
As prominent wine consultant Tim McGarr says in the following video, Pinot
Noir presents many challenges that test one’s skills as a winemaker. It can
be said that Pinot Noir (French for black pine cone, based on its conical
berry cluster shape) is the Goldilocks of wine. It requires not too hot, not
too cold, but “just right” well-drained soil, preferably limestone. Spring
winds and rains can damage the grapes, washing away the flowers and
buds, and can lead to powdery mildew and fungus. The grapes, unlike
Cabernet Sauvignon, are thin-skinned and susceptible to hail, animals,
insects and sudden shifts in weather.
After harvest, the juice requires careful and gentle handling. It ferments at
its own speed, stopping and starting because of temperature fluctuations,
and it performs best when transported to barrels by gravity feed rather than
pumping.
As McGarr says, “If you go through all those stages, meet the challenges of
this finicky grape, finish all of that with your sense of humor intact, Pinot
Noir can be one of the most beguiling and enchanting wines, with fantastic
bouquet, wonderful texture and aromas, great length of flavor, with spice
and complex red and black fruits. The best wines will continue to age well
for the next 10 or 15 years.”
As Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon said, Pinot Noir is “sex in a glass.”
