There's a reason why Pinot Noir is one of the most expensive and most revered wine varieties in the world, and it has something to do with the delicacy of the grape. It's very difficult to successfully cultivate Pinot grapes because these ripen very quickly. The grapes also demand specific conditions before they mature into prime harvests. Their skins are extremely thin and sensitive to the slightest changes in external temperatures; this poses a huge problem for vine growers, since they'll have to harvest the grapes with perfect timing.
The vine matures rapidly; if the air is too humid or dense, the skins will crack while the grapes are still on the vines, thereby making entire batches unusable. Some winemakers anticipate this tendency by harvesting the grapes before they mature past their peak, but the Pinot Noir wines produced through this process lack a certain depth and richness you'll find in the best vintages. Pinot isn't a new variety, however, and fortunately winemakers are getting pretty good at making it. There's also an ongoing quest to distill the best Pinot vintage ever, and more wine cellars are making sure that their harvests will produce the perfect grape batch.
The vine matures rapidly; if the air is too humid or dense, the skins will crack while the grapes are still on the vines, thereby making entire batches unusable. Some winemakers anticipate this tendency by harvesting the grapes before they mature past their peak, but the Pinot Noir wines produced through this process lack a certain depth and richness you'll find in the best vintages. Pinot isn't a new variety, however, and fortunately winemakers are getting pretty good at making it. There's also an ongoing quest to distill the best Pinot vintage ever, and more wine cellars are making sure that their harvests will produce the perfect grape batch.
Even though every winemaker dreams of producing the best Pinot wines in the market, only a handful can actually cultivate the grape at ideal conditions. Pinot originally came from the French Burgundy regions, and the climate in these areas serve as the standard in cultivation. You'll notice a pattern in the geographical locations where Pinot Noir thrives: the wine regions of California, France, New Zealand, and Australia all lie in the 45th parallel, where the days are warm and the nights are cool, especially in the autumn. The sun doesn't also set vertically in these regions. Instead, it slides across the horizon, providing sustained warmth throughout the extended twilight.
Unfortunately, only a handful of wine regions and countries have the perfect geographical location for cultivating the best Pinot Noir grapes, and you'll see the pattern when you plot these prime regions on the map. The grape originally came from the Burgundy regions in France, but it has been imported and adopted in other countries ever since the late 1800s. The regions that are best suited for Pinot cultivation lie along the earth's 45th parallel, though, and France, New Zealand, Australia, and California all lie within this narrow strip. There's something very peculiar about the 45th parallel which makes it the ideal zone for growing Pinot. The days and nights are consistently temperate, for one thing, especially in the prime growing seasons of autumn. The sun also tends to glide across the horizon as it sets, instead of following a quick vertical drop. Some regions even enjoy extended, moderately cool twilights well until midnight, and the sustained temperature allows the Pinot Noir vines to mature perfectly.
Although the French Burgundy regions deserve their claim to fame for Pinot, other countries offer newer, unique varieties, thereby creating a divide between Old-World and New-World styles and blends. French Pinot is challenging and not for the faint of heart, while newer varieties are more fruit forward and accommodati
Unfortunately, only a handful of wine regions and countries have the perfect geographical location for cultivating the best Pinot Noir grapes, and you'll see the pattern when you plot these prime regions on the map. The grape originally came from the Burgundy regions in France, but it has been imported and adopted in other countries ever since the late 1800s. The regions that are best suited for Pinot cultivation lie along the earth's 45th parallel, though, and France, New Zealand, Australia, and California all lie within this narrow strip. There's something very peculiar about the 45th parallel which makes it the ideal zone for growing Pinot. The days and nights are consistently temperate, for one thing, especially in the prime growing seasons of autumn. The sun also tends to glide across the horizon as it sets, instead of following a quick vertical drop. Some regions even enjoy extended, moderately cool twilights well until midnight, and the sustained temperature allows the Pinot Noir vines to mature perfectly.
Although the French Burgundy regions deserve their claim to fame for Pinot, other countries offer newer, unique varieties, thereby creating a divide between Old-World and New-World styles and blends. French Pinot is challenging and not for the faint of heart, while newer varieties are more fruit forward and accommodati
Unfortunately, only a handful of wine regions and countries have the perfect geographical location for cultivating the best Pinot Noir grapes, and you'll see the pattern when you plot these prime regions on the map. The grape originally came from the Burgundy regions in France, but it has been imported and adopted in other countries ever since the late 1800s. The regions that are best suited for Pinot cultivation lie along the earth's 45th parallel, though, and France, New Zealand, Australia, and California all lie within this narrow strip. There's something very peculiar about the 45th parallel which makes it the ideal zone for growing Pinot. The days and nights are consistently temperate, for one thing, especially in the prime growing seasons of autumn. The sun also tends to glide across the horizon as it sets, instead of following a quick vertical drop. Some regions even enjoy extended, moderately cool twilights well until midnight, and the sustained temperature allows the Pinot Noir vines to mature perfectly.
Although the French Burgundy regions deserve their claim to fame for Pinot, other countries offer newer, unique varieties, thereby creating a divide between Old-World and New-World styles and blends. French Pinot is challenging and not for the faint of heart, while newer varieties are more fruit forward and accommodating. Australian Pinot is a great introduction to this exquisite red wine, and since its shelf prices are very reasonable, you can pop a bottle for sampling or meal pairing more often.
About the Author:
Although the French Burgundy regions deserve their claim to fame for Pinot, other countries offer newer, unique varieties, thereby creating a divide between Old-World and New-World styles and blends. French Pinot is challenging and not for the faint of heart, while newer varieties are more fruit forward and accommodating. Australian Pinot is a great introduction to this exquisite red wine, and since its shelf prices are very reasonable, you can pop a bottle for sampling or meal pairing more often.
About the Author:
Pinot Noir comes in Old-World and New-World styles. Whether you're looking for a familiar sampling or an introduction into the versatile world of red wines, your preference is always on stock at online wineries, so visit an online store and purchase a case of your favorites.