13 Mar The Ultimate Pinot Noir Blind Tasting Challenge at World of Pinot Noir 2025

Every year at the World of Pinot Noir, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, one of the most anticipated seminars is the Blind Tasting Challenge.

Blind tasting isn’t just a party trick; it’s a skill. Think of it like a detective piecing together clues—wine tells a story of grape, region, vintage, and producer. It’s not just a guessing game; it’s deductive reasoning in a glass. Professional wine critics taste blind to remove bias. Sommeliers and wine pros use it to sharpen their palates for exams. For the everyday wine lover? It’s a fun (and often humbling) experience.

At this seminar, attendees faced 12 Pinot Noirs from some of the world’s most renowned regions – Burgundy, Willamette Valley, Russian River Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Sta. Rita Hills, New Zealand, Australia, Chile. Each wine was a riddle waiting to be solved.

I had a winemaker on either side of me. Not just any winemakers, Pinot Noir winemakers. On my left sat Scott Flora of Native Flora in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I once called him the “The Contrarian Winemaker” in a story I wrote. On my right was Wes Hagen, wine educator and brand ambassador for Native 9 Wines in Santa Maria Valley. Wes always has something insightful to share, whether it’s a deep historical fact or an offbeat piece of trivia. Both have also been guests on my podcast, Wine Soundtrack. (Meet Wes Hagen) (Meet Scott Flora)

Pinot Noir is a grape with unmistakable markers, yet it reflects its terroir and vintage more than most. It doesn’t like manipulation or makeup, it tells the truth. I love Pinot Noir, and I’d like to think I can recognize it in a lineup. But could I confidently tell a Burgundian Pinot from a Willamette Valley Pinot? Or distinguish Russian River Valley from New Zealand? That’s another story.

I glanced at Scott and Wes. Both are confident people, but neither is arrogant. Wes believed he could pick out styles but admitted climate change has made regional distinctions trickier. Scott, meanwhile, had more modest expectations, acknowledging he wasn’t as familiar with some of the regions represented, such as Australia and Chile.

With glasses lined up in front of us, it was time to put our palates to the test. Would we crack the code—or be completely stumped?

The Blind Tasting Breakdown

Wine 1: Earthy aromas with dark red cherry, good acidity, and tannins.

• Scott: Santa Maria Valley
• Wes: Sta. Rita Hills
• Correct Answer: 2019 Native9 Rancho Ontiveros Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Wine 2: High-toned with herbaceous notes.

• Me: Chile
• Wes: Burgundy
• Scott: Initially Oregon, but changed his mind
• Correct Answer: 2021 Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains

Wine 3: Sweet red fruit notes and fresh acidity.

• Me: Russian River Valley
• Correct Answer: 2019 La Follette Black Road Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Wine 4: Elegant, fresh cherry aromas, bright lift.

• Group Consensus: Too much texture for an Old World wine.
• Scott: Willamette Valley
• Correct Answer: 2021 Longplay Pinot Noir Hi-Tone Lia’s Vineyard, Chehalem Mountains AVA

Wine 5: Crunchy red fruit, sandalwood, grippy tannins.

• Wes: Burgundy?
• Scott: New Zealand?
• Correct Answer: 2022 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir, Tualatin Hills AVA

Wine 6: Dark color, lavender, floral, savory notes, high acidity.

• Wes: Burgundy
• Correct Answer: 2020 Louis Latour Beaune 1er Cru Perrières, Côte de Beaune

Wine 7: Floral, earthy, fruit notes, high acidity.

• Me: Northern Italy
• Scott: Burgundy
• Correct Answer: 2020 Albert Bichot Secret de Famille, Côte d’Or, Burgundy

Wine 8: Light in color, clean, bright, elegant, dusty tannins.

• We were all stumped!
• Correct Answer: 2021 Ashton Hills Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, Australia

Wine 9: Broad palate, dark fruit, floral notes, fresh finish.

• Again, we were stumped!
• Correct Answer: 2022 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia

Wine 10: Savory, herbaceous, raspberry, violet aromas, rounded tannins.

• Process of elimination: Chile, Italy, or New Zealand?
• Wes peeked at the answer, so Scott and I just guessed at this point!
• Correct Answer: 2021 Escarpment Te Rehua Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

Wine 11: Very quiet on the nose.

• Me: 50/50 chance of guessing.
• Correct Answer: 2022 Los Vascos Primo Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, San Antonio, Chile

Wine 12: Light color, floral and fruit aromas, candy-like quality.

• Correct Answer: 2021 Bottega Vinaia Pinot Noir, Trentino, Italy

Blind tasting 12 Pinot Noirs was more challenging than it sounds. But the point of blind tasting is not to know—it’s to learn. Each wine had its own story to tell, and we were just looking for clues as we explored the world of Pinot Noir.

As always, this seminar was educational, fun, and, of course, humbling. Try one for yourself! Buy 4-6 wines, the same grape from different regions, put them in brown bags, pour the wine in glasses, and then taste. See if you can decipher what is in your glass!