California Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is among the world’s most sought-after wines, known for its translucent color, moderate tannins and acidity. The wines display subtle flavors and aromas of fresh raspberry, plum, rose and spice.

The variety had been steadily growing in popularity among U.S. consumers long before the movie “Sideways” helped propel Pinot Noir into the national spotlight, yet there is no denying the film’s impact on the variety. Following the release of “Sideways” on Oct. 22, 2004, with the central character singing Pinot Noir’s praises, U.S. supermarket sales jumped 18 percent in less than a year. The California regions with the largest Pinot Noir acreage include Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.

Pinot Noir can be complex, elusive and difficult to grow, yet many winemakers persist because the resulting wines can reap a reward equal to the challenge. This noble red variety is ancient, described by Romans in 100 A.D. and cultivated in the Burgundy region of France as early as the 4th century. Pinot Noir is prone to genetic variation, and has more clones than any other variety (the University of California, Davis, has nearly 100 registered Pinot Noir clones). The variety does especially well in cooler growing areas around the state.