The 9 Best Pinot Noirs to Buy Right Now
Pinot Noir offers a wide range of styles, from light and elegant to bold and deeply extracted depending on where it is grown. More refined versions will feature polished tannins and flavors of cherry, milk chocolate, and orange peel, while bolder iterations may showcase blackberry, coffee bean, and dried herb notes.
Pinot Noir has been grown in France and specifically in Burgundy since the 13th century, but now it is grown around the world in just about every country where wine is produced. Its name is translated from French words that mean “black pine,” a nod to the tight, pinecone-like clusters that grow on the vine. Unfortunately, this tight formation makes the grapes more susceptible to bacteria and mold, so Pinot Noir grows best in cold wine regions and requires diligent farming methods. We prefer Pinots from cooler climates because of their freshness and try to avoid those from very hot areas because the wine can feel like cooked fruits or jam.
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Depending on the intensity of flavor and tannic structure, Pinot Noir pairs with a wide range of dishes including seared tuna, Peking duck, roast chicken, or grilled filet mignon. With the whole wine world to choose from, we narrowed things down slightly and picked our favorite bottles from Burgundy, Oregon, Sonoma, Central Coast, Germany, Australia, and Argentina.
Our Best Pinot Noir Picks
Best Overall Pinot Noir: Domaine De La Romanée Conti 2020 La Tache Vosne-Romanée Burgundy France
Best Sonoma Pinot Noir: Small Vines 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Sonoma County California
Best German Pinot Noir: Rebholz 2020 R Pinot Noir Pfalz Germany
Best Australian Pinot Noir: Tolpuddle Vineyard 2022 Pinot Noir Tasmania Australia
Best Argentine Pinot Noir: Bodega Chacra 2022 Lunita Pinot Noir Patagonia Argentina
Best Pinot Noir Under $75: Benovia 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sonoma County California
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Best Overall Pinot Noir: Domaine De La Romanée Conti 2020 La Tache Vosne-Romanée Burgundy France
Domaine Del La Romanée Conti has seven Grand Cru vineyards, and we had the opportunity to taste all of them recently, with each one as amazing as the next. We argued over it and decided that La Tâche showed the best, but it was a tough decision to pick just one. Having visited this site often, we both agree that La Tâche is really one of the most beautiful single vineyards we have ever seen. All of the DRC vineyards are plowed by horse, not tractor, and the vines and grapes are tended only by hand. The 2020 is cherry red in color with enticing aromas of clove, nutmeg, dark chocolate, purple plum, and black cherry. The tannins are silky smooth with flavors of cassis, black cherry, fennel pollen, and powdered dark chocolate.
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Best French Pinot Noir: Domaine Parent 2020 Premiere Cru Les Epenottes Pommard Cote De Beaune Cote d’Or Burgundy France
Jacques Parent took over Domaine Parent from his father Maxime in 1953, but the family has a long history dating back to Etienne Parent, who was one of the first Burgundian winemakers to export wine to the Americas back in 1787. Today the domain is run by Jacques’ daughters Anne Parent and Catherine Fages-Parent who represent the 12th generation in the family business. We recently tasted the 2020 Les Epenottes and both agree hands down that it is one of Burgundy’s best Pinot Noirs ever. It’s a blend of grapes from Petit Epenots and Grands Epenots and it is fermented in 50 percent new French oak barrels. Aromas of purple flowers, red raspberry, and red cherry draw you in for flavors of red plum, red cassis, cherry, and fine grained, elegant tannins.
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Best Sonoma Pinot Noir: Small Vines 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Sonoma County California
Paul Sloan had his “a-ha” moment in wine when he tasted a fine French Pinot Noir from Burgundy, but it wasn’t until he met his mountain biking and rock-climbing partner Kathryn—now his wife—that he returned home to Sonoma and began pursuing wine. He attended college and studied viticulture while working at Dutton Ranch. His 2019 Pinot is decidedly Burgundian in style with aromas of black cherry, violet petals, candied orange peel, and cinnamon that lead to velvety tannins and flavors of dried cherry, cranberry, and brown baking spices.
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Best Central Coast Pinot Noir: Bien Nacido Estate 2021 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Central Coast California
Native Californian brothers Steve and Bob Miller planted their Central Coast vineyard in 1973 and named it Bien Nacido which translates to “well-born” in Spanish. It sits on the former site of Rancho Tepusquet, which was granted to Tomas Olivera when California was still part of Mexico. It is one of California’s oldest cool-climate vineyards and it is well recognized for producing excellent grapes. The 2021 estate Pinot Noir has aromas of red raspberry, Oolong black tea, and orange rind that transfer seamlessly to flavors of black raspberry, red cherry, and powdered allspice.
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Best Oregon Pinot Noir: Roserock by Drouhin 2022 Zéphirine Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Willamette Valley Oregon
Drouhin has been well known in Burgundy since 1880, but its history in Oregon is much more recent. Even more recent is its Roserock project in Eola-Amity Hills in the Willamette Valley. Family member Phillipe Drouhin is now responsible for tending vines planted in volcanic soils at elevation, which offers cooler temperatures. His 2022 Zéphirine Pinot Noir has enticing aromas of citrus blossoms, rose hips, and red raspberry. It is soft and velvety in the palate with flavors of crushed violet petals, wild strawberry, and black cherry.
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Best German Pinot Noir: Rebholz 2020 R Pinot Noir Pfalz Germany
The Rebholz family has been farming organically and biodynamically for about 20 years but the commitment to quality wine goes back more than seven decades—while town hall records show the earliest history of winemaking back to 1632. Hans and Birgit Rebholz continue the family tradition today with their three children and avoid the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Their 2020 R Pinot Noir has aromas of tart cherry, red currant, and brown baking spices that lead to flavors of sour cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate with a long juicy finish.
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Best Australian Pinot Noir: Tolpuddle Vineyard 2022 Pinot Noir Tasmania Australia
Australian wine legends Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith purchased the Tolpuddle Vineyard in 2011. Originally named for a group of English convicts that were transported to Australia, Tolpuddle is considered one of the country’s best single vineyards. Add in the fact that it has excellent winemakers with Shaw and Smith at the helm and you’ve got a winning combination. Their 2022 Pinot Noir is cherry red in the glass with aromas of pomegranate, smoked charcuterie, cranberry, and dried red cherry. It’s medium bodied with flavors of red raspberry, forest floor, brown baking spices, and candied orange peel.
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Best Argentine Pinot Noir: Bodega Chacra 2022 Lunita Pinot Noir Patagonia Argentina
Italian-born Piero Incisa della Rocchetta fell in love with the Rio Negro region of Argentine Patagonia and in 2004 he founded Bodega Chacra. He follows biodynamic and organic principles and makes delicate floral-scented Pinot Noirs with excellent mouthfeel and marked minerality. His 2022 Lunita has aromas of rose petals, crushed violet, cranberry, and pomegranate. It has voluptuous body on the palate with flavors of forest floor, ripe red cherry, and Thanksgiving cranberry sauce.
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Best Under $75: Benovia 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sonoma County California
Named for founders Mary Dewane and Joe Anderson’s fathers, Ben Dewane and Novian Anderson, Benovia was established in 2005. Today it boasts three estate vineyards and 70 acres of vines and consistently produces well-made and well-priced Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. The 2021 bottling has aromas of black cherry, red plum, and brown baking spices. It is soft in the mouth with balanced acidity and flavors of cherry pie, black plum, and a touch of cinnamon in the finish.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences among Pinot Noir wines from various regions?
While different soil types, climate, and winemaking team have a strong effect on Pinot Noir’s qualities, you can generally expect refined versions to have polished tannins and flavors of cherry, milk chocolate, and orange peel, while bolder iterations may showcase blackberry, coffee bean, and dried herb notes. Outside of its spiritual home, Burgundy, Pinot Noir grows around the globe, but some of the best bottles on the market come from Sonoma, California’s Central Coast, Oregon Australia, and Argentina. Different soil types, winemaking technique, and the winemaker’s hand all contribute to the flavor profile.
How should you drink Pinot Noir?
Pinot Noir should be served in a glass with a large, deep bowl and narrower top, which is often referred to as a Burgundy glass. The bowl size allows for more airspace above the wine and offers the best conditions for aromas to be released and appreciated and for allowing the wine to open, while the narrower top concentrates aromas. It should be served at a temperature between 55º and 65º F; if you store your bottles in a temperature-controlled cooler or cellar, they should be perfect when removed.
How did we choose the nine Pinot Noir wines on this list?
We took many elements into consideration when making our choices, and the most important is taste, but how a wine actually “tastes” involves a variety of impressions, including flavor, texture, tannins, acidity, and finish. We also considered ability to age and a combination of rarity and accessibility: We sought out wines that are made in relatively small quantities but at the same time are available to purchase without having to join a winery club or allocation list. The majority were tasted blind in comparative tastings with similar wines, but some were enjoyed at dinner with winemakers or opened by friends.
Why should you trust us?
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report’s wine editors, have been writing about wine for two decades, have visited wine regions and wineries around the world, and have tasted wine with the people who make it. Last year they tasted over 6,000 wines and are on target to sample more than 7,000 in 2024. They are judges for the internationally renowned Concours Mondial de Bruxelles wine competition, and their work has appeared in Wine Spectator, Forbes, Wine Enthusiast, Huffington Post, Saveur, and books published by Oxford University Press. They have been featured for their expertise in wine on The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, CNN, CBS, Fox, WGN, WPIX and NBC. Known as the World Wine Guys, they are the authors of six wine books which have received various accolades and awards including “Best Wine Book in the World” from Gourmand International.
