100% Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling Wines

For many, both consumers and wine professionals, Pinot Noir is the most adored grape variety, the most famed and also quite challenging…

Pinot Noir, vitis viniferared, is very much a versatile grape variety and comfortable in producing top quality red, rosé, white, and sparkling wine. Known as ‘black pine’, the translation from French, due to the formation of the grapes on the vine where they are tightly packed together similar to pine cones and showing a darker blue almost black colouring. Due to the grapes being huddled together it makes them more open to fungal diseases though there are now many clones in order to resist side effects.

The grape is very expressive showing typical red berry fruits, blueberry and cherry when young and developing mushroom, vanilla, cedar when aged. Famous for its presence in the Burgundy and Champagne regions, the grape is also cherished globally from New Zealand to Chile.

Pinot Noir Sparkling Wines:

We see the presence of Pinot Noir in the sparkling wine scene and with great results. Famously within the Champagne region as one of the three main grape varieties used, we see both white and rosé Champagnes with Pinot Noir and sometimes containing 100%. Prosecco, Cava, Cremant and many more famous bubbly regions will also be growing and using Pinot Noir grapes.

“Sparkling Pinot Noir is a delightful, decadent, slightly cheeky glass of bubbly and while it’s easy to drink, this wine is actually one of the most technical to produce.” source pinosity

How expressive is the Pinot Noir grape in Sparkling Wines?

Many wine experts will recognise when Pinot Noir has been used in the production, the grape will be expressive of red fruit notes mostly edging towards pink / red floral (this expression working wonderfully well in the recent release of Prosecco Rosé where up to 15% of Pinot Noir is now used). When aged the Pinot Noir grape will likely show more earthy, mushroom, cedar characters stretching towards spices and smokey mineral layers.

We decided to open up 5 bottles of 100% Pinot Noir sparkling wines from 5 different countries in order to see how the grape performs:

Camel Valley – Brut Rosé 2018 – Tasting notes: “Always the most reliable and dare I say, the best example of a Rosé English Sparkling Wine. Red fruits on the nose with added peach, pink floral. Fruity flavours. You are in a typical English country garden with berry fruits tempting you. High acidity, young character, can age well in the bottle to further improve.”

Champagne de Watere – Brut Rosé – Tasting notes: “Herbaceous, floral (violet), summer berry fruits on the nose. Wonderful display of many layers of red berry fruits flavours from dry to sweet. Touch of orange blossom. 3rd place at the 2021 ’50 Shades of Rosé’ competition by Glass of Bubbly.”

Maso Martis – Rosé Extra Brut – Tasting notes: “Toasty, herbaceous, red berries on the nose. Floral notes, creamy red fruits in flavours. Touch freshness from zestiness in length.”

Szigeti – Pinot Noir Rosé – Tasting notes: “Pink floral, raspberry, strawberry jam, red apple skin aromas. Nice balance of dry yet fruity flavours showing red berries, wild strawberry, apples.”

Cavas Naveran – Perles Rosé – Tasting notes: “Smokey red berries, fresh strawberry, touch smokey yeast on the nose. Soft and dictate flavours showing pink floral, light red fruits, creamy hints. Perfect for a hot summers day.“