Origins of Pinot Noir
The cultivation of Pinot Noir can be traced back to Burgundy, France, where it has been grown since the first century. The fame of Pinot Noir is largely attributed to the Cistercian monks of Burgundy, who planted vineyards wherever they built monasteries during the Middle Ages. These monks meticulously recorded production details, noting the areas where the vines thrived. Their efforts created the world’s first harvest reports and popularized the concept of “terroir,” which refers to the influence of the local environment on the characteristics of a wine.
During the French Revolution in 1789, the church-owned vineyards were redistributed to families in Burgundy. Despite being a challenging variety to grow, Pinot Noir’s reputation led to its cultivation in various other countries as winemakers sought to achieve the same quality associated with Burgundy wines. Between 1990 and 2010, Pinot Noir went from being the thirtieth to the seventh most planted grape variety worldwide.
The Taste of Pinot Noir
The taste of Pinot Noir is influenced by several factors, including the area of production, macro and microclimatic conditions, vine management practices, and the winemaking process. Young Pinot Noir wines may exhibit flavors of red fruits such as raspberries, plums, cranberries, and cherries. With age, the wine often develops earthy notes, truffle hints, wild mushroom aromas, and exotic spice nuances.
Pinot Noir in South Africa
Pinot Noir’s journey to South Africa began when Professor Abraham Izak Perold imported the Swiss BK5 clone of Pinot Noir in the 1920s. The first farm to plant Pinot Noir in South Africa was Muratie in Stellenbosch, which did so in 1927. However, Pinot Noir struggled to gain traction outside of Stellenbosch due to the focus on wine production volumes rather than quality.
In the mid-1970s, Tim Hamilton Russel of Hamilton Russel Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley played a pivotal role in unlocking the true potential of Pinot Noir in South Africa. Despite the quota system and the fact that the available clone was intended for sparkling wine production, Hamilton Russel and his winemaker, Peter Finlayson, decided to produce Pinot Noir. This decision proved the suitability of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley for Pinot Noir production.
Around the 1990s, new Dijon clones, better suited for the production of fine table wines, became available in South Africa. The shift towards producing quality wines and the introduction of these new clones led to the expansion of Pinot Noir production into other regions, including Elgin, Doring Bay, and Franschhoek. It is worth noting that Professor Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsaut to create the uniquely South African variety, Pinotage.
Pinot Noir Production Regions in South Africa
Pinot Noir is planted in all of South Africa’s wine production regions, but the largest area under Pinot Noir vines is located in the Cape South Coast. Other significant regions for Pinot Noir production include Stellenbosch, Robertson, and Paarl. This grape variety thrives in cooler areas with lime-rich soils.
Uses of Pinot Noir in South Africa
In South Africa, Pinot Noir is primarily used to produce sparkling wines and premium quality single varietal still wines. It is also often blended with other varieties, with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier being popular choices.