The World's Best Pinot Noir From The 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards
Selection of Pinot noir red wine. getty
Ten Pinot noir wines, from around the globe, won top honors as the world's best still Pinot noir wines at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards. Two of the entries took Best in Show honors, and eight other wines won Platinum medals. All ten wines had identical scores of 97/100 points and are in 750 ml bottles. Indicated prices are based on the average retail cost, as reported by Wine Searcher. Below is a brief description and tasting notes on each wine.
A prestigious Grand Cru bottling from the historic Hospices de Beaune auction. It's crafted by Albert Bichot — known for elegance and terroir expression.
The wine is a deep garnet, featuring aromas of wild raspberry, black cherry, and a subtle hint of forest floor. The palate is layered and complex, showcasing ripe red berries, fine-grained tannins, hints of spice, and the mineral backbone typical of Clos de la Roche. Silky yet powerful, with a long, perfumed finish.
The DWWA Tasting Panel described the wine as 'dark, indeed almost opaque in color, with a dense, tapestry-like weave of beguiling fruits. The palate is deep, searching, and sumptuously fruited, too, with a rich inner glow that sensitive oak handling is shaping for the future. Best, if possible, to wait most of a decade to enjoy this bottle at its best; nonetheless, the tannins are soft and plush enough to make early drinking over the next year or two a possibility here.'
Craggy Range, one of New Zealand's premier wine producers, showcases Martinborough's classic, silky, savory Pinot style.
The wine has a bright ruby hue featuring aromas of red cherry, plum skin, earth, and herbs. On the palate, its bright acidity supports a palate of fragrant strawberries, subtle oak toast, and dried thyme. Smooth tannins and a hint of peppery spice culminate in a fresh, elegant finish.
The DWWA tasting Panel described the wine as 'an uncompromisingly dark wine that plays to New Zealand's strengths in terms of purity and vivacity of fruit: raspberry, cherry, and plum come streaming from the glass, and the fine meshing of fruit and oak in this wine adds to its luster and appeal. In the mouth, the wine is both long and broad but not in any way clumsy, and the fruit flavors (raspberry to the fore again) are hypnotic. Svelte tannins are barely palpable, so there's no textural barrier to entry.' Platinum Medal Pinot Noir Wines Bay of Fires, Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia 2023 $30
Tasmania's cool climate yields Bay of Fires' signature bright, aromatic Pinot noir. Tasmania is rapidly becoming Australia's premier Pinot noir-producing region for both still and sparkling wines.
The wine is a pale ruby, featuring notes of cranberry, rose petal, and baking spice on the nose. The palate showcases lively red berry fruit, with crisp acidity and fine, well-integrated tannins. Notes of rhubarb and subtle oak blend into a clean, lingering finish with a hint of minerality.
France, Bourgogne, Burgundy, The Climats terroirs of Burgundy UNESCO World Heritage Site, Clos de Vougeot castle, vineyard getty Domaine Jean Monnier & Fils, Clos De Citeaux, Pommard 1er Cru, Burgundy, France 2022 $68
A classic Pommard Premier Cru, robust and structured yet elegant. Monnier & Fils excel at showcasing the classic Côte de Beaune terroir.
The wine is a deep cherry red featuring aromas of black cherry, violets, and damp earth. The palate reveals concentrated dark berry fruit, firm yet polished tannins, and hints of mocha and clove—a well-built wine with impressive length and aging potential. Domaine Saint Remy, Pinot Noir, Grand Cru Hengst, Alsace, France 2022
An uncommon Grand Cru Pinot Noir from Alsace, highlighting ripe fruit and finesse. Pinot noir is the only red varietal allowed in Alsace. A warming climate is increasingly making Alsatian Pinot noir a standout offering.
The wine is a bright ruby, featuring aromas of strawberry jam, rose petals, and gentle spice. It's silky on the palate, showcasing red currant, hints of licorice, and a touch of smoky oak. The brisk acidity complements ripe red berry fruit, resulting in a long and elegant finish. Domaine Evenstad, Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru, Burgundy, France 2022
Domaine Evenstad's elegant take on Chambolle is refined, floral, and silky. Evenstad is the first Willamette Valley producer to expand to Burgundy.
According to the DWWA Tasting Panel, the wine is a very light ruby featuring aromatic notes of cherry blossom, raspberry, and damp earth. The palate showcases delicate layers of red fruit, fine, well-ripened, and supple tannins, along with subtle savory and spicy notes. It's light but persistent, with a velvety, mineral-laced finish. Albert Bichot, Domaine Du Clos Frantin, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2023 $282
A storied Grand Cru from the legendary Clos de Vougeot, vinified by Albert Bichot's renowned Clos Frantin estate.
The wine is a dark ruby featuring an intense bouquet of blackberry, cherry liqueur, and cedar. It's robust on the palate, showcasing black cherry, cocoa, and earthy truffle notes, with a firm tannic backbone and brisk acidity. The finish is long with a layered complexity and lingering red fruit notes. Fritz Wassmer, Roter Berg Kenzingen Spätburgunder, Baden, Germany 2022
An excellent German Pinot noir (Spätburgunder) from the Baden region. It's ripe, precise, and elegant with the delicate finesse typical of top-rated German Pinot noir.
The wine is a light ruby, featuring aromas of red currant, wild strawberry, and subtle vanilla notes. The palate showcases succulent, ripe red fruit flavors, silky tannins, and a touch of spice. A brisk acidity and subtle minerality result in a refreshing, clean finish with lingering notes of red fruit.
Anempty wine glass on top of freshly harvested pinot noir grapes in a bin getty McArthur Ridge, Southern Tor Pinot Noir, Alexandra Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand 2023 $30
A bold, robust Central Otago Pinot, reflecting the region's classic style of rich fruit and brisk acidity.
The wine is a deep purple-ruby showcasing fruity aromas of ripe plum, black cherry, and hints of dried herbs on the nose. The palate is robust and aromatic, showcasing dark berries, fine-grained, well-ripened tannins, and a touch of mocha. A long, fruit-driven finish complements the brisk, well-balanced acidity. Domaine Serene, Yamhill Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, United States 2022 $55
Domaine Serene is a benchmark Oregon producer acclaimed for its polished Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bottlings. Yamhill Cuvée highlights the best lots from estate vineyards across Yamhill County in Oregon's Willamette Valley.
The wine is expressive and aromatic on the nose, featuring aromas of black cherry, rose petal, and baking spice. It's medium-bodied on the palate, with a silky texture that showcases layered red fruit notes and subtle oak nuances. The finish is long and elegant, with lingering notes of red fruit.
These ten Pinot noir wines were acclaimed as the world's best at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards. Although dominated by French producers, the winners feature wineries spanning the globe: from Alsace to Australia and from Oregon to New Zealand. If you are passionate about Pinot noir, you owe it to yourself to try these wines, especially since so many of them are very reasonably priced. More From Forbes Forbes The Top American Wines, According To The Decanter World Wine Awards By Joseph V Micallef Forbes The Latest Wine Trends From The 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards By Joseph V Micallef Forbes The World's 50 Best Wines, According To The Decanter World Wine Awards By Joseph V Micallef
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