The Finest French Pinot Noir Wines To Buy in 2024 (Prices, Regions)

French Pinot Noir wines (especially the finest from Burgundy) are some of the most expensive bottles in the world. 

The Pinot Noir grape varietal is the most widely planted red wine grape in Burgundy and is widely produced in many other regions as well. Apart from red wine, it's also used to make Champagne, sparkling wine, and white wine.

What does French Pinot Noir taste like? Which bottles should you buy?

This article explores the 10 best French Pinot Noir vintages and gives you a glimpse into France’s top Pinot Noir wine regions. We’ll also look at whether these wines make for a worthy investment.

10 Exceptional French Pinot Noir Wines To Buy in 2024 (Including Tasting Notes, Prices)

Here are some excellent French Pinot Noir wines for your cellar.

• 2010 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits ($946)
• 2015 Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($136,933)
• 1999 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($30,244) 
• 1988 Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($19,286)
• 2013 Domaine Leroy Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($16,409)
• 1993 Henri Jayer Echezeaux Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($10,285)
• 2001 Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($14,769)
• 2012 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits ($535)
• 2005 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Les Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($14,408)
• 2001 Domaine Leroy Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits ($11,283)

1. 2010 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France ($946)

This red Burgundy wine is a classic savory Pinot Noir from Armand Rousseau. You’ll find complex layers of fruit with saline notes on the chiseled finish.

2. 2015 Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($136,933)

This is a savory and robust fine wine with exotic tropical fruit, black cherry, and vanilla notes. It has a full-bodied palate with silky tannins and firm acidity. 

3. 1999 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($30,244)

This rich and opulent Pinot Noir varietal has gorgeous notes of forest fruit, grape fruit, and spices accentuated by smooth tannins. 

4. 1988 Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($19,286)

This Burgundian Pinot Noir wine has a delicious freshness and ripe red fruit flavors. This vintage has ample tannin and has an incredibly balanced palate.

5. 2013 Domaine Leroy Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($16,409)

Another red Burgundy with wonderfully rich notes of red fruit, blackberry, and spices. The palate of this fine wine has medium acidity and firm tannin. 

6. 1993 Henri Jayer Echezeaux Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($10,285)

This stunning red wine from Burgundy has floral aromatics and dark fruit notes with medium acidity and a long bewitching finish.  

7. 2001 Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($14,769)

A classic and savory Pinot Noir varietal with earthy notes of black fruit, red fruit, and leather undertones. The palate has medium acidity with firm tannin. 

8. 2012 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France ($535)

Here’s a good Pinot Noir wine with floral notes, and a fine freshness to the cassis, black cherry, and blueberry fruit aromas.

9. 2005 Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Les Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($14,408)

This Burgundy red wine has delicious notes of black cherry, forest fruit, and spices with hints of leather and black tea. The palate has silky tannins and a nice long finish. 

10. 2001 Domaine Leroy Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits, France ($11,283)

This Pinot Noir wine has an intense nose of ripe dark fruit and spices. The palate is lean with rich fruit flavors of black fruit and roasted meat. 

What are some food pairing options for French Pinot Noir wine?

Pinot Noir from Burgundy makes for the perfect pairing with duck, goose, and game birds.

You can also pair your favorite French Pinot Noir with mushroom risotto, grilled salmon, cheese, and chocolate-covered strawberries.  

Now, let’s see how worthy an investment French and Bourgogne Pinot Noir wine would be.

Should You Invest In French Pinot Noir Wine?

Pinot Noir isn't typically a long-lived wine. To make it stand the test of time, producers plant the Pinot Noir vine in cool locations to keep acidity levels high. 

A winemaker also uses techniques like aging in oak barrels to make their wines age better.

As a general rule, Pinot Noir from the relatively cool climate of Burgundy will age for much longer (20+ years) than a California Pinot Noir (15+ years.)

Some of the oldest Pinot Noir wines from Burgundy have dramatically evolved and have given collectors remarkable payoffs. 

A well-preserved vintage from an outstanding vineyard like Domaine de la Romanée Conti or Domaine Leroy can be cellared for a very long time. 

You’ll often spot them at world-famous auctions. A single bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti was sold at an eye-popping $558,000 at 2018 Sotheby’s sale in New York - the highest price for any bottle of wine ever at an auction!

But, has the price of Burgundy Pinot Noir peaked? 

Short answer: No.

• The price of the 2015 Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru increased by 59% from $79,687 to $126,982 between 2020 and 2021.
• The 2001 Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru also saw a 40% increase from $6878 to $9695 in the same period.

Now, let’s take a look at some leading Pinot Noir producing regions in France. 

Top Pinot Noir Producing French Wine Regions (Apart from Burgundy)

Outside Burgundy, here are some of the most well-known Pinot Noir producing areas of France. 

1. Loire Valley

Pinot Noir used to be mostly made as Rosé wine in the Loire because of its cooler, damp, oceanic climate. A couple of producers also made exceptional red wines, but they’re rarer.

2. Champagne

Pinot Noir is the perfect blending grape for Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier for Champagne and Sparkling Wine blends. It is also used to make the Blanc de Noir sparkling wines (white wine made from black grapes.) 

3. Alsace

The Pinot Noir grape has been planted in Alsace since the Middle Ages, given northeastern France's temperate and sunny terroir. Pinot Noir is the only red grape variety cultivated in Alsace. It accounts for 10% of plantings in this predominantly white wine region.

4. Languedoc-Roussillon

The terroir of Languedoc-Roussillon is ideal for cultivating the Pinot Noir grape, given its mild Mediterranean climate and diverse terrain. 

The Pinot Noir wines produced here are bottled under the Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) Pays d’Oc appellation, earlier known as Vin de Pays d’Oc.

Here’s an interesting fact: Outside the home territory of France, high volumes of Pinot Noir are grown in California. There’s also an early-ripening clone of Pinot Noir known as Gamay Beaujolais. These California wine regions include the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Yarra valley, and Willamette Valley.

Now, if you’ve heard of “Burgundy wine” and “Pinot Noir” being used interchangeably, here’s what you should know:

Is Burgundy Wine And Pinot Noir The Same?

No. 

Burgundy (as you know) is the name of the French wine region, and “red Burgundy” refers to the Pinot Noir wines produced here. (White Burgundy refers to Chardonnay wines.) Pinot Noir is the primary red wine grape grown in Burgundy.

Although Burgundy is the best-known region for Pinot Noir, the Champagne region has the largest production of the grape.

Get Your Hands On An Exquisite French Pinot Noir Now!

This versatile grape varietal is used in many wine regions around the world to create spectacular wines - in all price ranges you can imagine. 

If you would like to invest in fine wines like French Pinots, check out the Vinovest website right away. Find out how to easily buy, store and sell authentic French Pinot Noir wines, Champagne, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Cabernet Franc wines from any corner of the world.