French Pinot Noir wines tested & reviewed (2026) 

 Best French Pinot Noirs to buy right now

Our editorial team curated this selection of the best French Pinot Noir wines after careful tasting of each one of them. We factored in ratings by wine critics like James Suckling, as well as customer feedback, to ensure that the wines we choose reflect what you truly love. Including traditionally good French Pinot Noir wines from Burgundy winemakers, new world Alsace Pinot Noir, as well as Sancerre Rouge from the Loire, these bottles range from the affordable La Moussière Sancerre Rouge 2022 – Alphonse Mellot (rated 4.6/5, ~$50) to the premium Domaine Ponsot Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru 2018 (rated 5/5, ~$600+).

French Pinot Noir tasting notes and characteristics 

French Pinot Noir typical flavours include red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, forest floor and mushroom. Its elegant yet refined style is complex and always balanced by earthy undertones and subtle spice. 

Quick facts about French Pinot Noir taste: 

• Its flavour profile is dominated by red fruit notes, primarily raspberry and strawberry. Its notes of  forest floor, mushroom and tobacco are tied to its terroir.  
• Structure: French Pinot Noir is light to medium bodied, high acidity and silky tannins. 
• Bourgogne Rouge has an aging potential of 3-7  years, Premier Cru 8- 15 years, while Grand Cru develops further complexity over 30+ years.  
• Decant young French Pinot Noirs for at least 30 minutes, while aged Burgundy benefit from  1-2 hours aeration.

Did you know?In 1395, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, issued a decree prohibiting the cultivation of Gamay grapes, considered as ‘’disloyal’’ and inferior to Pinot Noir. This law helped establish Pinot Noir as Burgundy’s premier red grape ever since.

French Pinot Noir brands to look out for 

The top French Pinot Noir brands typically craft wines in the “Old World” style, emphasizing finesse to create silky wines with red fruit and earthy notes. Although most of them are located in Burgundy (Bourgogne), other 90+ point producers rated by James Suckling include Mélanie Pfister (Alsace) and Alphonse Mellot (Sancerre, Loire).

The best French Pinot Noir brands by region include:

• Burgundy: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Roumier, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Domaine Leroy, Domaine Dujac
• Alsace: Mélanie Pfister, Albert Mann
• Loire: Alphonse Mellot
• Champagne: J-M Sélèque (producing still Pinot Noir)

Here are three premium French Pinot Noir brands and their best bottles:  

Did you know? Some Gran Cru vineyards have been producing French Pinot Noirs for over 900 years continuously. This is longer than most European countries have existed! 

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: the global benchmark  

AOC Bourgogne Pinot Noir is a French regional appellation created in 1937 to describe the 100% Pinot Noir French red wines made exclusively in the Burgundy region. It is the global benchmark for the variety because of its history and mastery of the terroir, where winemakers combine the unique limestone soils with meticulous vineyard management techniques. French Pinot Noirs from Burgundy command prices that vary widely based on their classifications, namely:

• Entry level Bourgogne Rouge: usually priced between $15-$50
• Village Pinot Noirs between $50-$150
• Premier Cru and Grand Cru bottles that range between $150 to $1000+

For beginners to Bourgogne Pinot Noir, brands like Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin are good entry points. Their Bourgogne Rouge wines are light and versatile, with soft tannins and red fruit flavors. It is classified below Village, Premier and Grand Cru and typically costs less than $30. Compared to other entry level wines, Bourgogne Rouge prices are high due to widespread demand and limited supply, increased production costs and the prestigious nature of the region. However, you can be sure that French Pinot Noir from Burgundy is worth every penny, showcasing the unique terroir while representing a more approachable style than the higher classifications. 

• AOC established: 1937
• Vineyard acres: 7,400 acres
• Elevation: 650-1640 ft
• Growing season: 213 days
• Avg. temperature: 37°F-70°F (3°C-21°C)
• Top vintages: 2015, 2019, 2022

What pairs well with French Pinot Noir?

Roast chicken, grilled salmon and other savory, earthy dishes pair best with French Pinot Noir because of its high acidity and light tannins. Avoid extremely spicy dishes or heavy cream sauces that may mask its delicate taste. Some of our top food pairing recommendations for French Pinot Noir are: 

• Poultry & light meats: roast turkey, pork tenderloin, lamb chops
• Fish: grilled salmon, trout, tuna
• Vegetarian: mushroom risotto, lentils, roasted beets 

Match food and wines from the existing 10 wines named in the top 10 ranking. 

What is French Pinot Noir and how is it made?

French Pinot Noir

French Pinot Noir is a red wine made from thin skinned Vitis vinifera grapes, primarily harvested in Burgundy, France. The name arises from the French words for “pine” and “black”, in reference to the pinecone shaped grape bunches.

How French Pinot Noir is made:

• Undamaged and healthy grapes are hand harvested to ensure quality, often in the cool hours of the morning. 
• Most winemakers in Burgundy carry out whole cluster fermentation for added structure and aromatic complexity, but many others sort and destem the grapes before fermentation to reduce harsh tannins and craft fruit forward Pinot Noirs. 
• Fermentation occurs in open topped fermentation vats made of oak or ancient concrete. Winemakers use natural wild yeasts to convert the sugars to alcohol at moderate temperatures (~30°C).  
• Pigeage involves punching down the cap of skins that have floated to the top of the vat. It is usually done by hand for superior tannin structure and maximal flavor extraction than “pumping over”. 
• Aging is done in French oak barrels for 12-18 months for added structure, delicate spicy notes and a velvety mouthfeel.
• Terroir focus: Burgundy winemakers keep their interventions to a minimum, prioritizing vineyard expression to craft styles that range from light and delicate to structured and age worthy.

Beyond Burgundy, French Pinot Noir grows in the Loire Valley, Champagne (where it is a key grape used in Blanc de Noirs and rosés) and cooler southern valleys.

French Pinot Noir is special due to its unmatched ability to express terroir, which is the unique characteristics of the specific climate where it is grown. “Old World” style wines known for their pure and complex Pinot Noir bottlings, they are native to the cooler Burgundy climate and its limestone soils, making them the benchmark worldwide. French wine Pinot Noir is classified by vineyard quality into Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines, with strict AOC rules defining production.

Key differences between French Pinot Noirs and New World Pinot Noirs

French Pinot Noir (Old World, primarily Burgundy) offers higher acidity, lower alcohol (12% – 13.5%) and mineral, earthy notes that are not detectable in New World versions. New World Pinot Noirs (from California, Oregon, NZ) are generally riper, with higher ABV (13.5% – 14.5%) and pronounced sweet oak character. NW Pinot Noir tannins are, generally, more robust. The difference lies in the winemaking techniques. 
Traditional winemaking techniques from Burgundy, such as oak vat fermentation, long skin maceration and extended barrel aging, give life to lighter bodied wines with softer tannins. New World winemakers, on the other hand, ferment the must in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts. These practices aren’t set in stone and today, techniques often overlap. Burgundy (Old World) producers are experimenting with modern techniques while California and Oregon winemakers adopt traditional methods. The long contemplated terroir focus of the Old World is spreading. New World Pinot Noir excels in cooler climates and Willamette Valley, Sonoma Coast and Russian River are the proof. 

Key differences between French and New World Pinot Noirs:

• Climate and Terroir: the cool climate and limestone soils in Burgundy create distinct wines while Pinot Noir from warmer regions like California and New Zealand is riper and fruitier. 
• Flavour: French Pinot Noir shows bright red fruit, forest floor and mushroom flavors. New World wines, on the other hand, feature bolder red fruits with sweet oak influence. 
• Structure: French Pinot Noir is lighter bodied with refined tannins, whereas the New World versions are lush and fuller bodied.

How we rate French Pinot Noirs

We rate French Pinot Noirs based on a 5 point scale, assigning scores following criteria such as the appearance, aroma and flavor. Our editorial team has visited the wineries, travelled the vineyards and sat at the tables where these wines are produced. We have personally tasted and scored every single wine we recommend through blind tests: no price tags, labels or bias included. 
At first, each bottle is scored on a 50 point system, which we then convert to the simple 5 point rating as seen below: 

Rating Scale (1-5):

• 5 = Exceptional
• 4 = Excellent
• 3 = Very Good
• 2 = Good
• 1 = Fair

The scoring criteria include:

• Appearance (up to 5 pts): clarity, color, brightness
• Aroma & Bouquet (up to 15 pts): intensity, complexity, absence of flaws
• Flavor & Palate (up to 20 pts): balance of acidity, tannin, alcohol; depth, mouthfeel
• Overall Impression (up to 10 pts): harmony, complexity, typicity, finish, aging potential
  

A wine that is rated between 4 and 5 has been determined to be one of unmatched quality, impressing us by sight, smell, sipping and swirling. 
In addition to the standard assessments, we also rate French Pinot Noir based on criteria specific to the “Old World” style: 

• Terroir expression: mineral notes that reflect Burgundy’s limestone soils, not the fruit forward ripeness of “New World” expressions. 
• Aromatic profile: layers of red fruit, savory earthy undertones and integrated spice notes, instead of bold oak or vanilla. 
• Structure: delicate tannins on a light to medium bodied palate, emphasizing elegance instead of raw power. 
  

To ensure that our scores remain fair across price points, we compare French Pinot Noir bottles only against those in their Burgundy classification. Bourgogne Rouge wines are stacked against similar bottlings, Premier Cru is judged against other first growth vineyards and Grand Cru rated against the finest classified sites. 

A note from our team: with wine drinking and tasting, it all comes down to personal palate and our scores reflect our palate and taste. Read our tasting notes to find bottles that you will enjoy the most, which is what matters to us more than any number. 

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