No other variety is as mercurial as Pinot Noir. The fickle, thin-skinned grape, even when grown under the right ultra-specific conditions, can be a pain to produce. Yet those who persevere yield a host of terroir-driven wines ranging from bright and fruity to dark and funky depending on their origin. The spectrum of styles gives the category enough intrigue to make it immensely popular. It can also make certain labels exorbitantly priced: Some Pinot Noirs hailing from Burgundy, for instance, can set you back more than $10,000 a bottle.
Fortunately, there’s no need to take on a second mortgage to nab high-quality Pinot Noir. The diversity in styles and profiles gives consumers ample opportunity to explore the category from much more agreeable price points. During this journey, they’re likely to discover a cost-effective bottle so exquisite and complex, they may be compelled to triple-check its price tag in disbelief.
There are plenty of “bang-for-your-buck” Pinot Noirs on the market, which in a way seems appropriate. After all, it doesn’t make much sense to devote so much effort to a finicky grape just to produce a lousy label. But which labels particularly stand out in the crowd? We asked 16 wine professionals to find out. Here’s what they had to say.
The best bang-for-your-buck Pinot Noirs, according to wine professionals: Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Bodega Chacra Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir Silent Way Pinot Noir Colene Clemens Vineyards Margo Pinot Noir Judith Beck Brambule Pinot Noir Ken Wright Cellars Antica
