Pinot Noir is red, right? Well, yes. And no. Which is to say, it doesn’t have to be. Like almost all red grapes, the flesh of a Pinot Noir grape is pale green, which means that if you crush the grapes and drain the juice off the skins before it takes on any color, you will have a white wine.
The Champenois, of course, have known about this for centuries — of the three primary grapes for Champagne, two of them (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) are red. Drink a glass of Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label, for instance, and you’re drinking a wine made from 70% red grapes (50% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier).
What’s more recent, though, is a growing trend of people making still white wines from Pinot Noir in California, Oregon, and beyond. Do they taste like Pinot? Well, yes. And no. But the best of them are excellent, and when made into a white wine, they’re ideal for springtime drinking: sprightly, crisp, and fresh. Here are 4 white Pinot Noirs to drink right now.
The best white Pinot Noir to try now:
2022 Domaine Carneros Pinot Clair Estate Vineyard Wine Pinot Noir ($49)
Domaine Carneros is known for its excellent sparkling wines, and if anyone knows how to get white juice from red grapes, it’s sparkling-wine makers. A hint of red fruit shows amid the pear and yuzu citrus flavors in this full-bodied, silky wine.
2023 Emeritus Vineyards Hallberg Blanc ($45)
Owner Brice Cutrer Jones made his reputation with Chardonnay (Sonoma-Cutrer) but left that behind to focus on Pinot Noir with Emeritus. So, technically, this is the only white wine he makes. It’s rich but crisp, with luscious red apple, melon, and lemon curd notes.
2023 Schug Carneros White Pinot Noir ($46)
The cool Carneros climate adds a light hint of dried herbs to this balanced white’s flavors of quince and white peach. Winemaker Walter Schug founded his namesake winery in 1980 specifically to concentrate on Pinot Noir; he died in 2015, but his family has continued his legacy.
2022 Willamette Valley Vineyards White Pinot Noir ($30)
This Oregon interpretation of white Pinot Noir has a pale straw hue and comes from a sustainably farmed winery founded in 1983. It has a soft texture and plenty of tangerine and creamy melon flavors; the excellent 2022 vintage shows its considerable strengths here.
