Pinot Noir - A grape with a certain expectation

WHAT:

A thin skinned black grape, eulogised by that fellow from Sideways, possibly as some sort of half-baked metaphor for his own temperament. He's a delicate flower is Miles.
WHERE: The world over, from Austria to Australia, though it has a strong preference for cooler climates, much like Bear Grylls. And penguins.

HOW: 

Pinot Noir is generally found in varietal* still wines with a light to medium body - most notably red burgundies (though special mention is absolutely due to the Pinots of the west coast of the USA) - and Blanc de Noirs champagnes, though it is often blended in other sparkling wines and champagnes, bringing some fruit to the party.

TASTES LIKE:

This of course depends on where it's grown, and how it's been vinified, but with the broadest of brushstrokes we could say roses, black cherry, currants, blueberries and plums, with low tannins and high acidity. Digging a little deeper we've encountered Pinots with a Coca-Cola-ish tang, others with an earthy, mushroomy depth. There's a reason people go bonkers for this grape.

AKA:

Spätburgunder, Blauburgunder, that grape the dude from Sideways bangs on about.

FROM OUR WINES:

There's a broad spectrum of styles and for that matter price points at Drop, from Vincent Muret's approachable and juicy Languedoc PN (£15) - a great entry level and wallet-friendly option.

All the way up to Rene Bouvier's exceedingly grown-up Grand Cru Clos Vougeot (£175). Very much a Special Occasion Wine.

We've long had a soft spot for Zieriesen's fruit-forward and easy-going Spatburgunders, which at £18 make for a pretty solid value Friday night drop, or for those who can't hear the word 'Pinot' without dreaming of San Francisco, the intense-yet-delicate 2018 Failla has your name on it.

* 'varietal' is perhaps the most misused word in wine. It's an adjective that means a wine contains only one grape. There is no such thing as a 'grape varietal'.