Pinot Noir is one of most tantalizing yet tempermental varieties in the world. The variety has very delicate skin accounting for the lighter color and body of finished wine. But, despite the delicacy, the best wines have excellent backbone and length, providing aromatic intensity unlike any other grape. The best Pinot Noir vineyards are high in minerals, have excellent drainage, and are farmed to low yields. The best examples of Pinot Noir remain in Burgundies Cote d’Or, in the villages of Gevrey Chambertin, Chambolle Musigny, Vosne Romanee, and Nuits St. Georges. There are also fine examples of the variety in the New World, including excellent, if more forward, wines from New Zealand, Oregon, and the cooler microclimates of California.