Does anything compare to PINOT NOIR???

[@drmatthewhorkey]

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[@robdielemans9189]

There's this one grape variety that you taught me about on this channel that is pinot noir like and that is Prokupac. And I agree it produces the kinds of reds that I'm very much interested in. Didn't know about Areni, should buy a couple of bottles to see how I like them.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I think you’ll like Areni too then

[@LiveLifeLasting]

Just openend a 2014 Knipser Kirschgarten Spätburgunder GG with Goose for tonight, Pinot for the win :))

[@TinFoilHatPipeDude]

Nice! How was it? I have two bottles of later vintage that Im very eager to try, but I should probably wait a year or two longer…?

[@LiveLifeLasting]

@@TinFoilHatPipeDude The 14 was great to drink, but still has a lot of time ahead. I also have the 19 which I think needs more time.

[@TinFoilHatPipeDude]

@@LiveLifeLastingexcellent, thank you! Im glad it delivered, I will sit on my bottles for a while then. German PN can be fantastic IMO.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceeeee

[@welshtoro3256]

You might expect me to say this but it could be informative to others: There's really great value Pinot Noir coming out of Spain these days. Actual Pinot Noir and not alternatives. This is one of the really wild wine things happening in Spain right now. Folk that are saying Spain is more than Rioja, Ribera and Priorat are correct but that was where we were at 20 years ago. If you've just discovered that amazing wine is being made in other regions you're a long way behind the curve. (Not talking about you Matt but I know many underestimate the quality of lesser known Spanish regions.) Glad to see a Navarra wine in this mix but not at all surprised. Navara produces tons of great value red, white and rose wine flying under the radar Spain today is the melting pot of wine experimentation and innovation on the planet. Traditional varieties have made a come back in the past 20 years but how many people know that Spain is growing Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, etc? I've had examples of all of these wines and they are stunning and amazing value. The Spanish climate and soil is a perfect fast track for these varieties and Spain has a lot of innovative wine makers taking advantage of the possibilities. Spain is also, without doubt, the leading force in superb organic/natural/biodynamic wine too and it's really wild. I have had stunning value natural, biodynamic Petit Verdot grown in Andalusia and Murcia and these producers are growing vines mixed with flowers and everything going. They are completely committed to this style of production and I truly believe this is going to be a major factor in the world of wine in the years to come. Naturally the output is low but it's wonderful wine without any whiff of pretention and great value. All of your choices were fine value Matt and they all sound really good. I suppose I should mention German Pinot Noir as it's a massive producer and there's good value to be found. Spain though? WT

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Really??? I’ve yet to taste really good Pinot in Spain besides Encus

[@typhoon2970]

Admittedly, we are Pinot junkies. Our daily go-to is Decoy. Literally every day... We switch it up periodically, but always seem to circle back to our house Decoy which remains consistent, unlike most relationships. LOL. We usually uncork and decanter our vino early in the morning, that way its ready to go come happy hour. As always, we love and enjoy your wine reviews ! Love ya

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It’s always a solid wine!

[@robertcampbell67]

For a substitute, Saint Laurent is great. Tough to find though.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It can act like Pinot as well!

[@jlynn1304]

Mencia and Xinomavro would have been good ones to add to the tasting.

[@joe-zp7ge]

mencia is fabulous

[@Kipintaci]

+ a Rară Neagră from Moldova🇲🇩 + a Beaujolais cru🇫🇷 + a Prokupac from Serbia

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Good call

[@itamareshet]

great video!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

🙏🙏

[@solomonmengeu1003]

Lots of great input in the comments here and I agree with most of the suggestions/points shared. As I mentioned in PN Live Stream Hangout/Tasting Kekfrankos/Blaufrankish when vinified with a lighter touch does seem quite Pinot-esque. Here in Hungary Kekfrankos from Eger and the Balaton regions seem closer to PN than the ones from Villany and Szekszard. But I really need to taste/drink more from other regions to get a fuller picture as vintage and producer determines styles and mouthfeel. Schiava also has some things in common with Pinot Noir, though it can be more on the herbal side. Sankt Laurent also reminds me of PN quite a bit. This was a great line up, I still haven't gotten to try Areni, got to look out for that. With Barolo and Grenache and others finding these wines that are similar to PN has a lot to do with producer, market and tasters. As in Asia Barolos and Grenaches that get imported and drunk are usually on the medium plus bodied to full bodied side. That's why I don't know/haven't experienced these kinds of wines. Great video, well thought out and planned. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thank you! Totally agree on some Kek producers. I do have a video on Austrian vs Hungarian examples coming soon

[@BuzzWithYourCuz]

Pinot Noir out of all the red choices seems to be a sleeper, meaning most ppl I know don’t think of it as a first choice because they just don’t know how good it is.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It can be delissssshhh

[@SmartDave60]

Very informative thanks. Surprised there was no gamay. Maybe too obvious. Also I would have preferred the reveal be done in the same order that you tasted them

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Didn’t have a Gamay on hand

[@Matt_Bykowski]

Fun video, well done,🎉

[@drmatthewhorkey]

🙏🙏🙏

[@TinFoilHatPipeDude]

Im not very experienced with Pinot Noir and frankly have not been the biggest fan. But the very inexpensive Neiss Spätburgunder from Pfalz opened my eyes, I love it! I have since started enjoying PN from many areas. Interesting video😃

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Nice! Enjoy the journey

[@blu_s0l_0nline]

Definitely one of my favorites. Very little compares.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮 Pinot is a fickle grape indeed

[@joeydecarlo2532]

Fun video but surprised no Cru Beaujolais! Would love a video on that.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I didn’t have any on hand

[@melissagarland3477]

How do you feel about PN from Australia? I tried one from the Yarra Valley called The Hare & The Tortoise from 2021, it was like a homegrown strawberry with a touch of earth and spice. Seemed very earthy, like picking up the soil composition on the finish. Are most PN like this with being stronger on the earth notes?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I love Aussie Pinot and the earthiness in some PN is what us wine geeks crave!

[@ivansanchez6202]

Nice video good work, for me Monastrell have a little more body but i like the flavours more than garnacha and pinot and some are super elegant and fresh. Casa Castillo and Bodegas Cerron all their wines are good from starting level to expensive.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It’s a grape that definitely has its fans

[@MichaelH-ck4hg]

I just have a limited experience with Chateauneuf du pape, but the one that I have bought quite a few bottles of since last spring is Andre Brunel Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du pape. To me, it seemed very similar to Pinot Noir. I have a cousin who likes Pinot Noir and she thought the same. Reminded me of a couple of Burgundies that I’ve had.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That’a one of my favorite producers in CdP and he shows up in a VLOG

[@andrewkarl5174]

Recently have had high altitude Carmenere, fruit forward with moderate tannins, very nice. Under the radar Beckham, in the Willamette Valley, all there wines are made in amphore, but a very small producer

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮😮 that is a gem

[@marcotrucco177]

In NW Italy you may want to try Rossese di Dolceacqua (called Tibouren in France, lighter with even less tannins), Grignolino d'Asti (generally simpler more primary), Pelaverga di Verduno and Ruche' di Castagnole Monferrato (spicier, higher alcohol), in NE Italy Bardolino and Valpo (standard, not ripasso or amarone- darker and more cherry) or Schioppettino from Friuli (spicier). In Central/South Italy the closer to Pinot is Nerello Mascalese (more tannins, doesn't develop as much with ageing), maybe Cerasuolo di Vittoria (Frappato/Nero blend, simpler and fruitier) and the Piedirosso, plus high quality Gaglioppo or Magliocco from Calabria mountain vineyards (Classic Ciro from the coast is bigger and fuller body).

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Good call on a lot of these although I really have disagree with you on Ruché, that grape has too much incense to come close to Pinot IMO.

[@marcotrucco177]

Probably… But I love it, so I mention Ruchè everytime I can!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Hahahah we agree on so much but on this variety, we definitely differ 😂

[@PeterPuno]

A 93 point Pinot for as low as $20? Will order some and find out. Thanks!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

You’ll like it!

[@AnarchoKapital]

When I tasted the 2010 Vina Tondonia Reserva blind, I thought it was PN. 2. Could be Gamay with the strawberry. 3. Sounds like Nebbiolo, probably Barbaresco?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I loveeeee Tondonia so much

[@zenw8]

i would give Baga from Bairrada in Portugal a try !

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I love the grape and the region, have been there several times altho I feel it acts more like Nebbiolo than Pinot

[@IvanHernandezelearning]

I tasted País from Chile, and it gave me a blend of PN with Grenache.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I can totally see that!

[@RealAleksandarBlagojevic]

It's a real shame that you didn't have Prokupac among the wines. Hopefully next time. Otherwise, another informative video. Thank you for this

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Prokupac got it’s whole own blind tasting video last year hahhah

[@mikaelplaysguitar]

Etna Rosso / Nerello Mascalese with some age has a few time got me questioning if they filled the bottle with Burgundy wine. Uncanny how close it can be.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Some producers… definitely

[@nasos00]

Xinomavro especially with some age on it shows more Pinot Noir character, maybe more so than Nebbiolo. But then again there is quite a bit of variety of Pinot Noir styles so it depends on what your point of reference is. I don't typically try new varieties because they could be like something else, but rather simply to learn and experience

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I feel like it acts more like Nebbiolo… Beautiful variety though!

[@nasos00]

@drmatthewhorkey clarification. Yes 100% agree with you. What I meant to say is that Xinomavro is more like Pinot Noir than Nebbiolo is, especially with some age.

[@noahcap]

A bit off topic, but I know you’re well versed in Eastern European wines. There’s a great article in the NYTimes about Cricova Winery in Moldova and its relationship with Russia, specifically with Putin. Let me know if you can’t see it- happy to send it along. Cheers!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks! I’ve been to the winery before and will check out article

[@jacob9540]

My favorite alternative to Pinot is cru Beaujolais! Great values with absurd quality. However, for me, nothing beats Burgundy. Burgundy can be ridiculously expensive, but there is still value in the lesser known villages and producers

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Agree!

[@mahshid_amla]

i tryed khachen wine is a perfect wine from armenia👌🏼

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Very good stuff!

[@donaldalbro810]

I had a mencia from bierzo that I thought was a decent substitute for Pinot noir

[@donaldalbro810]

Also nice price

[@drmatthewhorkey]

They can be!

[@michaelwerfel2863]

Anything Rayas. No idea how he does it, but it always has a pinot profile

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It does!

[@tonygallo1104]

Good tasting. I need to find some softer lower alc garnacha. My observation on Sean moos the dark label to me I furs wine will be beefed up. Though we drank some nice Sonoma Pinots recently. Typically more money. As for PN alternatives. Mencia (Spain), # Nerello , loved that you had a Piederosso... we were in Campania last year!!!! Blaufrankish is another, laslty Cabernet franc- especially from Bourgueil from Loire and sangio... Tuscany/ Italy of course though they have diff profiles are always a go to for me. Oh yea almost forgot Gamay - Beaujolais .. some call that Burgundy

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Low alc Grenache is pretty hard as it’s a grape that tends to often be high alc bc of the sugar levels in the grape

[@Blair338RUM]

Pinot Noir and Cru Beaujolais ( even though it’s Gamay )magnificent

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I love Cru Bojo too

[@Ruirspirul]

I have been drinking “amphora” wines all my life, I can not distinguish wines made in them. so I have no idea what are you talking about when saying, clay wines have a special texture. only way to tell if wine is made in Qvevri is to taste exactly same wine made in stainless and understand it is better😅

[@drmatthewhorkey]

👍🏼

[@baileymcquary2477]

You can't talk about affordable Pinot Noir without mentioning Au Bon Climat

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That is one of the best vaues in America!

[@Skillividden]

I'd put Mencia and Kadarka on the list ;)

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Great call on Kadarka!

[@itsmederek1]

Damn I can find Gardacho for 9,75 euros lol, will have to try

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@trevorjamesvick]

Pachyderm is a really good underground Pinot 🤙

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😅😂

[@fjasmile4u]

Penfolds cellarmasters PN….😳🍷

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮😮

[@JamesWilliamson-w8y]

Yes. Vinegar. All the wine I drink comes from Greece or Cyprus. Much better than the Northern European plonk,

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Greek and Cypriot wine can be glorious

[@Blair338RUM]

Not a thing ❤️❤️

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮

[@marknelson8724]

For me, Pinot Noir is the feminine side of the coin and Nebbiolo is the masculine. Nebbiolo brings the tannins. Grenache can be very Pinot-like but the fruit is slightly different. Grenache can also be made into a brute that eats Cabernet wines, and I love those too. Etna Rosso can be terrific but everyone seems to have figured that out and it does not seem like a lot of wine is made on the slopes of that active volcano. German Pinot Noir has been helped by a bit of climate change.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Very good points

[@StopFear]

Nothing compares to it because it has the most palatable red wine taste. Merlot doesn’t, and nor does cab.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮

[@robrussell5329]

Nothing compares to Burgundy. As for all other pinots... I'll pass.

[@SaintKines]

Some competitions that they judged themselves says otherwise. The reason Joseph Drouhin came to Oregon Willamette Valley is because of these competitions.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I am a fan of other styles of Pinot too other than Burgundy

[@frankr4038]

As a local in Willamette and a fan of Burgundian wines I’d say Dundee and Ribbon Ridge for sub $100 you can get some fantastic Pinot Noir wines. In particular the 2021 is awesome and I’m consistently hearing from winemakers that 2024 could be the best vintage in a long time. All of Willamette is evolving and over time will continue to bridge any gaps vs. Burgundy. I am bias …

[@castroneves97]

Nerello Mascalese...

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I did an Etna vs Burgundy video in the past

[@denismirkovic3173]

No it doesn’t

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮

[@luizfranca420]

Not a fan of the grape, all varieties that I tasted was lacking of power for my taste, but maybe I just don’t have the will to pay several hundred dollars to taste a good one.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

😮😮😮

[@andrewross1121]

Frappato

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Niceee

[@dr7246]

No gamay? I’m a burg and pinot lover who has not warmed to Nebbiolo. Barolo often, for me, delivers on the nose, but not in the mouth- of course there have been exceptions. I find the mismatch between the body and tannins to often annoy me. Aglianico, on the other hand, has a nice match between tannins and body and is the Italian red grape that tends to excite me most. I’ve been into wine for over 30 years and I’m still, broadly, unconvinced by Nebbiolo. And I couldn’t care less that the majority of wine lovers don’t agree with me.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It seemed a bit obvious plus I didn’t have a Gamay on hand

[@ChrisLemelle-xw3kl]

Philip, Duke of burgundy outlawed gamay. He considered it less than ideal which is why it’s primarily grown in Beaujolais

[@WineWorldTV]

Nerello Mascalese is another Pinot-like grape. It's one that I enjoy and it can be found for a great value under $20. Of course Gamay. One of Pinot's many offspring, it's such a favorite of mine for its "Christmas in a glass" spices for me - Cru that is. I've missed Barolo/Barbaresco many times in blinds because it can take more than 3-4 minutes for the tannins to be elevated vs. Pinot. They both are very similar especially if comparing Barolo to Burgundy. Grenache rather than Garnacha comes across more like Burgundy for me. Something about the Rhone. Maybe because they're neighbors. If it's a blind situation, then it's going to be CdP vs. Burgundy and it's really the high octane of CdP that should be the deciding factor. Spanish Garnacha can also have that elevated ABV but it's typically richer for me. It's not a "testable" variety so I don't drink a lot of it either. Not that I crush CdP or even Gigondas on the regular. Areni....yeah. Even though I've only had two of them from Yacoubian Hobbs (I did a video on one of them in 2020), I'm a big fan. I haven't had enough memorable Piedirossos to have an opinion on them. So I'll need to seek them out.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Nerello Masacalese can be!