Pinot Noir has been called "the heartbreak grape", “a minx of a vine… an exasperating variety”, and "sex in a glass". It's a difficult grape to grow and a difficult grape to make wine with but when everything goes well, the resulting wine is worth the trouble.

The problem is, usually, everything doesn't go well. Like most grapes, Pinot Noir doesn't do well in summers that are too cold.

Unlike most grapes, Pinot Noir also doesn't produce a good crop when it is too warm, or too dry, or too wet, or if there is an early spring, or a late spring.

The French wine region of Burgundy is the homeland of Pinot Noir and one of the few places on earth where some vineyards produce an outstanding Pinot Noir most years. In a region that is 3 kilometres wide and 50 kilometres long called the Côte d'Or or "Slope of Gold", Pinot Noir is crafted by a few into a silky smooth, fruity, beautifully balanced red Burgundy that wine lovers prize above all others. The Côte runs north and south and on the eastern slopes facing the morning sun, the Pinot Noir grows well. The flow of air down the slope helps to control the various molds that plague Pinot Noir. The warm days and cool nights are perfect for ripening the grapes and the warm, well drained soils keep the roots warm at night.

However, once you have the grapes, your problems are not over. Due to the grapes’ thin skins, it is difficult to get much colour or tannin into the wine. The fermentation of Pinot Noir can be difficult to control as they tend to get really hot and then the flavours and aromas boil off.

If all these problems aren’t enough, Pinot Noir is also genetically unstable. It mutates and sometimes produces grapes that aren’t really similar to Pinot Noir. This is why Pinot Noir is the parent vine for Pinot Gris aka Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc. Winegrowers noticed that some Pinot Noir vines were producing lighter coloured grapes and use those vines for cuttings to produce more vines. Eventually, they produced vines that were more or less stable and produced white wines that have little in common with Pinot Noir.

Of course, wine makers around the world are attempting to produce good Pinot Noir with various levels of success. In Ontario, wineries in the Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward County are working on Pinot Noir; Le Clos Jordanne is thought by many to be the leader in Ontario right now, although there are many wineries producing good Pinots.

In the US, the Sonoma Coast in California and the especially Willamette Valley in Oregon are focusing on Pinot Noir. Having just spent a few days in Oregon, I can say that they are succeeding with producing a very classical styled Pinot Noir that is a medium red and exhibits aromas of red fruit, earth and cloves with flavours of raspberry, strawberry and vanilla with well balanced fruit, alcohol and tannins.

New Zealand is also producing some outstanding Pinot Noirs and Germany, possibly due to global warming, is producing better Pinot Noirs every year.

There is a saying that a good bottle of Burgundy costs $500. You have to drink 9 disappointing bottles at $50 each before you get to the 10th bottle which is so remarkable that you forget the other 9. That might have been true in the past but I am finding that purchasing Pinots in the $18 and higher range, I am rarely disappointed.

Lailey Pinot Noir 2007 VQA (LCBO # 591404 - $24.95) The nose is dominated by oak, dark cherry and earthy aromas. The dark fruit flavours last through the long finish which shows a little cold coffee. The firm tannins are still a little forward, suggesting that this wine could be aged for 3 or 4 years.

Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve 2007 VQA – (LCBO# 33894 - $25) This dark cherry red wine has aromas of dark plum, cedar and leather and flavours of cherry cola, raspberry with a nice hint of vanilla and dark cherry on the long finish. The fine tannins are slightly drying at the end and indicate that this wine could age 4 to 6 years. The alcohol, acidity and tannins are so well balanced that the 13.5% alcohol is not noticeable.

Ridgepoint Pinot Noir Reserve 2004 VQA (LCBO # 89003 - $20) Dark plum, raspberry and earth aromas come from the medium cherry red wine. As Pinot Noir skins are so thin, you can see through the wine unlike Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is medium bodied and quite dry. Dark plum, sour cherry and raspberry flavours are followed by a medium length dark, slightly sour cherry finish. The tannins, alcohol and acidity are nicely balanced. NOTE: The link above takes you to the 2005 Vintage currently in the LCBO. This bottle was from my cellar.

Matua Shingle Peak Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2008 (LCBO # 32441 – $29.95 March 24 Release) The nose of raspberry, dark plum and leather leads to flavours of dark raspberry and dark plums. The moderate acidity and alcohol are well balanced and give way to a long, dark raspberry finish.

Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2008 (LCBO # 954834 - $24.95) The grapes for this wine were grown in the Russian River area of Sonoma which is becoming the best known area in Sonoma for Pinot Noir. The fog rolls in overnight and keeps the grapes from getting too warm during the day. This gives a wine with dark red fruit aromas like raspberries and cherries with some leather and spice from the barrel aging. The fruit flavours are well balanced with the moderate acidity, alcohol and tannins.

Jean Claude Boisset Gevrey-Chambertin 2006 – (LCBO # 77313 - $69.00) The raspberry and dark cherry nose also shows some wood notes. The cherry and dark raspberry flavours are supported by the well integrated barrel flavours of oak, vanilla and cloves. The moderate acidity is in balance with the alcohol and tannins. This wine is ready to drink with the appropriate food but could certainly improve over the next 3 to 5 years in a cellar.

Domaine De La Vougeraie Clos De Vougeot 2006 - (LCBO # 88765 - $129.95) This wine is still somewhat tight as it isn’t ready to drink. The nose of dark cherry, earth and vanilla is followed by flavours of black raspberry and black cherry topped with a hint of oaky vanilla. The firm tannins need another 8 to 10 years of aging.