Why Pinot Noir Is So Expensive

Pinot Noir is the new darling. Actually, not that new anymore, as it's been on a 20 year run. It seemed to start about the time of the release of the movie Sideways that hailed Pinot Noir at the expense of Merlot. If you look at the numbers though, Pinot Noir was already gaining followers before the movie. 

Where there is rapidly increasing demand, there will be increased prices. And, boy, have we seen prices go up!

The Sideways effect
image from Etsy

Increasing production

California tonnage of Pinot Noir grapes harvested by year:

• 1995   29,000
• 2000   53,000
• 2004   Sideways released in Oct.
  
• 2005   95,000
• 2010  148,000
• 2023  288,000

Likewise, in Oregon there were less than 5,000 acres of Pinot planted in 2000. Today there are over 27,000 acres, with most of that in the Willamette Valley. 

Why Pinot Noir?

The wines are soft, complex, drinkable when young, and match well with many foods or all by itself. I think with people moving towards lighter, healthier foods contributed to wanting lighter wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, other Bordeaux varietals, and Syrah are heavier wines for heavier foods.

There's a lot going on in a glass of Pinot between the fruit, the earthiness and spices. Also, for the wine geeks, the difference in the wine between microclimates and even neighboring vineyards along with different clones makes for an interesting wine.

Growing Pinot

It's called the heartbreak grape because Pinot is difficult to grow. The nature of the grape makes it susceptible to damages from temperature swings, diseases, and spring frost. These problems contribute to higher growing costs.

Source of the costs

Pinot Noir is the most expensive grape for wineries to purchase in Sonoma County. Napa's Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are still more than twice the price on average. 

So the cost of the fruit is the main factor here, but never discount supply-and-demand and what the market with bear. Grape growers will charge more because their fruit is in high demand. Wineries will charge more for the wine because the wine will still sell out.

Less expensive alternatives

Grenache and Gamay are the closest to Pinot Noir in wine characteristics. Neither will have the complex flavors of a good Pinot, but for many occasions may do just fine.

I don't recommend buying cheap Pinot; say under $15 or even $20. The traits that make a Pinot Noir a nice wine will not be there. A few might be drinkable, many will not be good. For that price, you cannot grow and make a proper Pinot. What you can do is add up to 25% of some other cheap grapes and still call it Pinot Noir (per American law). You can also add Mega Purple to hide the poor quality of the wine. If your mass market Pinot is dark and sweet, it likely has Mega Purple because Pinot Noir on its own has neither.

California grape prices per ton
Note that Pinot was already expensive before
Sideways was released in late 2004
image from UC Davis
Click on image to enlarge for readability