Which regions of the United States produce the best Pinot Noir?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
I adore Pinot Noir. Which regions of the country produce some of the best Pinots? Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley?
—Scott, Monroe, La.
Dear Scott,
Sounds like you’ve got a great handle on the U.S. Pinot Noir scene. Don’t forget that in Oregon, Willamette Valley is a large region, and it’s broken up into several more American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs. So, look for some of these names, which might appear on bottlings from different corners of Willamette Valley: Dundee Hills, Yamhil-Carlton, McMinnville, Eola Hills and Ribbon Ridge.
In California, don’t forget Carneros, Edna Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Santa Lucia Highlands. I’m glad you’re exploring domestic Pinot Noirs, which I think are better than ever!
—Dr. Vinny
