Pinot Noir, made famous in the US by the cult movie Sideways, produces some of the finest wines in the world. The grape is also notoriously difficult to cultivate and produce with. It is very sensitive to climate changes, soil quality, and even mutates easily when planted amongst other varietals. All of these factors make Pinot Noir more costly to cultivate, and producing great wine form it requires considerably more skill than some of the other more cooperative varietals. This of course makes it widely prized amongst wine connoisseurs.
Burgundy is the most famous Pinot Noir producing region- all red Burgundy is made from pinot noir grapes. Within the United States, the Willamette Valley region of Oregon specializes in Pinot Noir. And many great wines are produced in California – particularly in Santa Maria Valley, Russian River Valley, and the Sonoma Coast.
Pinot Noir is best known for its silky texture and earthy aromas. It often has lush flavors such as baked cherries, plums, mushrooms, chocolate, and leather. Compared to a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir is lighter in texture and color, and considerably less tannic.