Pinot Noir - USA

Boy, were there some good wines in here! Lots and lots of very happy tasters after these flights.

There were several reasons to be cheerful. Firstly, the numbers weren’t stupid. Yes, the US wines, in particular, tend to be pricey, but they’re not over-priced, and customers are usually receptive to being sold into them. Stylistically, they’re very easy to like and our teams were confident that they could shift them if they had them on their list.

From The Tasting Teams

'Very high-end Pinots definitely have a place on our wine list. California sells better than Oregon, but that’s the perception of the public, that the US equals California. You’d have to push Oregon.’ Charlie Cockaday, Gravetye Manor

‘A couple had that lighter strawberry fruit and showed some restraint, which is a nice change. There were some savoury and nuanced wines, with lovely texture and finesse. But there were some in that mid-price point where they lacked typicity. Victoria Sharples, St John Restaurant Group

‘I loved these US wines. Obviously California is quite pricey, but I think Pinots from cooler areas like Santa Barbara, Russian River and of course Oregon are a great alternative to Burgundy, which is getting too expensive.’ Jan Van Heesvelde, L’Enclume

Award winners

Found 9 wines

New World: Pinot Noir, USA & Canada

Walter Hansel, South Slope, Pinot Noir 2016, Russian River Valley, California, USA

'A dark and rich wine, but balanced and refined, with good structure.' Jan Van Heesvelde, L’Enclume. 'This has crunchy red fruit and lingonberries, as well as a vegetal note on the elegant, fragrant nose, leading to a dry palate with ripe cherries accompanied by vanilla and sweet oak. A luscious, smooth and warm wine with a long finish.' Matthieu Longuère MS, team leader.

£35.12 Bibendum

Norman Hardie, Pinot Noir 2016, Ontario, Canada

'This has really good Pinot character, with juicy, fine, long tannins and some cherry notes.' Jade Koch, team leader. 'This has a very pale hue, with overt, attractive spice on the nose, and a savoury, supple palate with red fruits and mineral undertones.' Victoria Sharples, St John Restaurant Group. 'A really elegant style, with light grip, soft red fruits and a touch of leather. Delicious.' Andres Ituarte, team leader.

£24.69 Bibendum

Calera, Pinot Noir 2017, Central Coast, California, USA

'A very elegant wine with a nice kick of autumnal leafiness, accompanied by lots of red cherry and ripe plum, with high acids.' Andres Ituarte, team leader. 'Smoky, bright and full of life, with concentrated fruit and lots of acidity.' Jade Koch, team leader. 'Lifted, perfumed and elegant, with luscious fruit.' Matthieu Longuère MS, team leader.

£23.55 Top Selection

Louis Jadot, Résonance, Pinot Noir 2017, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

'This has some spice and gentle plum notes, with a good attack on the palate, and lovely fruit notes of plum and cherry, as well as some dried flowers.' Riccardo Guzzardo, Hakkasan Mayfair. 'An intense and rich wine with some spicy black cherry fruit.' Vivienne Franks, Aspects of Wine.

£18.97 Hatch Mansfield

Wine Hooligans, Cycles Gladiator, Pinot Noir 2017, California, USA

'Opening with notes of semi-dried cherries and red berries on the nose, leading to some coffee and chocolate, with great acidity and a good finish. It would be easy to drink more than one glass.' Riccardo Guzzardo, Hakkasan Mayfair. 'Bang for buck, with blackcurrants dominating the palate, and some ripe, crunchy fruit.' Victoria Sharples, St John Restaurant Group.

£9.76 Castelnau Wine Agencies

Goldeneye, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir 2016, California, USA

'A true mouthful of juicy Pinot, with dark plum and cherry fruit on the nose, carried by some spicy oak.' Victoria Sharples, St John Restaurant Group. 'A complex nose with some tertiary notes to get your attention, joined by notes of coffee bean and sweet spice.' Riccardo Guzzardo, Hakkasan Mayfair.

£37.11 Top Selection

Winner Details