Introduction

Pinot Noir is a black wine grape variety and may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for “pine” and “black” alluding to the grape variety’s tightly clustered dark purple pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot noir is almost certainly a very ancient variety that may be only one or two generations removed from the wild Vitis Sylvestris vines with a great possibility of it (Pinot Noir) being its direct domestication. Its origins are nevertheless unclear with a similar grape variety finding mentions in Burgundy during the 1st century AD.

Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France, particularly Côte-d’Or. From the New World regions, USA and New Zealand are major producers of good quality Pinots.