7 Superb Pinot Noirs From Oregon to Drink Now
Written by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen in Robb Report
May 22, 2026
Some of the finest Pinots on offer are coming out of the Pacific Northwest.
As many of our readers already know, Pinot Noir is a native of Burgundy, and the word pinot comes from the French word used to describe the shape of a pinecone, while the word noir simply means “black.” But what continues to elude many people is that some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world are now coming from Oregon. Don’t get us wrong, we’re staunch fans of Pinot Noir from Burgundy, but the level of quality currently found in Oregon Pinot Noirs is astounding and only continues to improve year after year.
Pinot Noir is grown around the world in California, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and New Zealand, to name only a few locations. But we think its expression in Oregon is very close to the Burgundian profile. We’re not sure exactly why, but it could be due to the climate, terroir, French winemakers, oak regimen, or clones used. In fact, when blind-tasting Oregon Pinot Noir, many wine experts incorrectly think the wine was made in Burgundy. We’ve tasted quite a few stunning Pinot Noirs from Oregon this week, and here are our seven recommendations.
Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Own-Rooted 2022
Jean-Nicolas Méo is well known for his stunning wines from Vosne-Romanée, but he teamed up with music promoter Jay Boberg to make excellent Oregon Pinot Noirs. Their Own Rooted Pinot Noir is made from old-vine sites that were planted more than 30 years ago. It is fermented using native yeast, aged in 50 percent new French oak barrels for 16 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It has aromas of rose petal, black raspberry, purple flowers, and a touch of forest floor that lead to flavors of black raspberry, red cherry, and caramelized orange peel layered with luxurious tannins.