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VinePair published recommendations from 16 sommeliers on Pinot Noirs they consider underrated, highlighting producers and regions beyond the usual Burgundy focus. The available source material includes examples from Australia, Germany, California, Oregon and Greece, but does not provide all 16 responses or comparative sales data.
VinePair has published a survey of 16 sommeliers naming Pinot Noir wines and regions they believe deserve more attention, with recommendations ranging from King Valley, Australia, and Germany’s Baden to California’s Central Coast and Greece. The roundup offers readers alternatives to familiar Pinot Noir choices, though the available source does not include every response or independent evidence that the wines are broadly overlooked.
Thomas Price, beverage director at 1856 – Culinary Residence in Auburn, Alabama, recommends the 2021 Redbank Pinot Noir from King Valley. He described it as light and fresh and said it sells for $20 at his shop. That price and his assessment are his own account, rather than a price survey or independent tasting result.
Several respondents point to German Pinot Noir, known locally as Spätburgunder. Christian DiNello, wine director at Indienne and Elder in New York City, highlighted producers Wasenhaus and Enderle & Moll, particularly Wasenhaus’s single-vineyard Möhlin. Ryan McGuinness, assistant manager and beverage director at Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic, Connecticut, named Baden producer Bernhard Huber, whose estate is now led by Julian Huber.
U.S. recommendations include Sante Arcangeli’s Split Rail Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Santa Cruz Mountains, praised by San Francisco beverage director Lance Tolaio, and the San Luis Obispo Coast, which sommelier Kim Prokoshyn said has recently produced exciting, fresh examples. Owen Perry of Portland’s Lansdowne named Belle Pente in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Other recommendations in the source’s list include Greek Pinot Noir, Ojai Vineyard’s “Fe Ciega Discípulo” and Coco Farm’s 2021 Pinot Noir from Japan.
More Options Beyond Burgundy
The roundup points to the range of places now producing Pinot Noir, a grape historically associated with Burgundy. For shoppers, exploring these recommendations may reveal different styles and price points; Price’s $20 Redbank example is one specific price, not evidence that all listed wines cost less than Burgundy.
The sommeliers describe varied expressions, including Baden wines they characterize as herbal and light-bodied, and coastal California examples associated with freshness and red-fruit flavors. Those are individual professional opinions, not a controlled tasting comparison. The article’s value is as a set of informed leads for readers interested in widening their choices.
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A Global Pinot Noir Search
Pinot Noir is grown in established regions and newer or less familiar sources around the world. VinePair’s report frames its survey as a response to the breadth of available styles, which can lead shoppers to stick with a familiar bottle rather than try another producer or region.
The listed recommendations span Australia, Germany, Greece, Japan, New Zealand, Argentina, Italy, France and the United States. The source also names wines from California’s Sta. Rita Hills and the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This geographic spread is the central point of the survey: sommeliers’ choices extend well beyond the best-known reference points for the variety.
““Herbal and light in body, but deeply complex — they’re wines for enjoyment as well as contemplation.””
— Christian DiNello, wine director at Indienne and Elder
Limits of the Sommelier Survey
The source provides selected recommendations and some professional comments, but the supplied material cuts off during the response about Japan and does not include the full set of 16 answers. It is not possible from this text to verify every nominee, compare how often each wine was recommended or determine the survey’s full method.
“Underrated” is the sommeliers’ judgment; the report does not supply sales figures, consumer-awareness data or a shared definition of the term. The publication date, current availability and present-day prices for most recommendations are also not specified, so readers should check with retailers or producers before relying on availability or cost.
Checking Bottles and Availability
Readers interested in the picks can ask a wine retailer or restaurant for the named bottle, producer or region and confirm the vintage and current price. Availability may vary by market, particularly for wines from smaller producers or less widely distributed regions.
The source does not announce a follow-up tasting, ranking or update. Any later confirmation of stock, pricing or additional sommelier responses would need to come from VinePair, the producers or sellers; for now, the report serves as a collection of recommendations rather than a market-wide assessment.
Key Questions
What Pinot Noir did the sommelier recommend at $20?
Thomas Price recommended the 2021 Redbank Pinot Noir from King Valley, Australia, saying it sold for $20 at his shop. The source does not establish that price at other retailers or that it remains current.
Which German Pinot Noir producers were named?
Christian DiNello named Wasenhaus and Enderle & Moll, including Wasenhaus’s single-vineyard Möhlin. Ryan McGuinness recommended Baden producer Bernhard Huber.
Which California regions appeared in the recommendations?
The supplied report names the Santa Cruz Mountains, San Luis Obispo Coast and Sta. Rita Hills. It also includes Oregon’s Willamette Valley, which is a separate region.
Does the report prove these wines are objectively underrated?
No. “Underrated” reflects the sommelier respondents’ opinions. The supplied material provides no sales, awareness or tasting data to measure how widely recognized the wines are.
Source: vinepair.com
