The revered but finicky Burgundian pinot noir grape is difficult to grow and vinify, making winegrowers suffer and wine drinkers swoon. Our Drinks Editor James Viner selects seven bottles that show how far this ancient grape has travelled beyond France…
Pinot deserves its heartbreaker moniker. It buds early, leaving it vulnerable to frost, and its thin skins and tight bunches invite rot and disease. Get it right, though, and the rewards are extraordinary, including a haunting perfume and a silky, supple texture.
Burgundy wrote the rulebook, but pinot noir has travelled far beyond its spiritual home. Germany, where it is known as spätburgunder, New Zealand and Australia are now major strongholds, while in England only chardonnay occupies more vineyard area. Champagne also relies heavily on pinot noir: it is the region’s most widely planted variety.
Here are seven bottles to savour this autumn. Serve the still wines lightly chilled at 12–14°C and the Champagne at 10°C.
1. 2024 Palataia Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany
£10, Marks & Spencer, 13%
Nab this terrific, keenly priced pinot noir from the sunny, dry Pfalz, Germany’s second-largest wine region. Plum-packed and slightly gamey, it shows hints of oak and allspice on the finish. Ideal with roast duck.
2. 2024 Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia
£15, Tesco, 12.5%
Tasmania may be famed for fizz, but its cool climate also suits still pinot noir. Rosehip, dark cherry and raspberry lead into a light, silky palate, with gentle spice and refreshing acidity. Fresh, tangy and joyously gluggable, it is a good reason to look beyond Tassie’s fine bubbly. It is a banker with mushroom risotto or duck.
3. 2023 Abbotts & Delaunay, Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon Pinot Noir Le Village, Languedoc, France
£18, The Wine Society, 13.5%
The high-altitude vineyards of western Languedoc, around Limoux, provide the cooler conditions this ancient variety favours. A beautifully balanced pinot noir, with bright red berries, savoury freshness, discreet oak, and enough finesse to echo Burgundy without the high price tag. Running long and delicious, it’s in a very good place now. One for mushroom linguine or salmon with lentils.
4. 2023 Berry Bros. & Rudd New Zealand Pinot Noir by Greystone Wines, North Canterbury, New Zealand
£20.95, Berry Bros. & Rudd, 13%
Marlborough sauvignon blanc put New Zealand on the wine map. Increasingly, though, its cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir deserve equal attention. This tiptop organic example from the Waipara Valley, north of Christchurch, is satiny with flavours of red cherry, dried herbs, rose and pomegranate, alongside earthy notes. Marvellous with monkfish.
5. 2025 Balfour ‘1503’ Pinot Noir, Kent, England
£21, mix 6 bottles, Majestic, 12%
Balfour in Kent is helping to broaden the English wine story beyond sparkling wine. The 2025 ‘1503’ pinot noir is its best yet, marrying spiced cranberry and red plum with a subtle earthy note. The finish lingers, lifted by tangy acidity. Tuna steak or turkey with cranberry sauce, anyone?
6. 2025 Stopham Estate Pinot Noir, West Sussex, England
£30, Stopham, 11%
Stopham Estate is known for its still pinot blanc and pinot gris, both colour mutations of pinot noir. It has just released its maiden still red pinot, with 900 bottles produced. Light and brisk, with baked red berries, spice and earthy notes, it is a sensual charmer with lip-smacking, perky acidity. Simply irresistible. Hello charcuterie and roast game. The future for English still reds looks decidedly rosy. I’m already really looking forward to the 2026 vintage.
7. NV Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut, Champagne, France
£28, down to £25, 14 October – 27 October, Waitrose, 12%
Made by Maison Bonnet in the Aube, where 80% of the vineyards are planted with pinot noir, this aromatic, red-fruited, biscuity and substantial sparkling gem, made entirely from pinot noir, is a treat. It is on offer from 14 to 27 October, coinciding with World Champagne Day, which falls on 23 October. Superb with aged Comté.
Fun fact: Champagne has an even greater area planted with pinot noir than Burgundy does.
Finally, for readers seeking the best pinot noir under a tenner, head to Asda for its Exceptional by Asda Central Otago Pinot Noir from New Zealand, now down from £9 to £8 with a further 25% off six or more bottles (as of 19 October).
Follow James on Instagram: @quixoticwines
