I’ve mistaken pinots for syrah and vice versa but they were similar styles from the same winery. That being said, as much as I’ve never been a fan of Pinot blends, it makes me curious to open a style like Melville Estate syrah and one of their single vineyard pinots, mix them at various %'s and sample. I’d probably like it. I probably wouldn’t feel the same about an opposite end of the spectrum style PN/syrah blend.
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So no Champagnes with Pinot Meunier for you? 
So there seems to be a consensus here that’s an unnatural union (unlike say Cab Sauv and Merlot).
Are there other such? One that always puzzles me is Chardonnay and Riesling.
As already pointed out, what about traditional three grape Champagne blends? And there is Passetoutgrain, which can be quite tasty. There are also some N. Italian field blends that include Pinot Nero.
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Except in Champagne, in the most traditional home of chardonnay and pinot, those grapes are not blended. Whereas in the most traditional homes of cabernet, merlot and syrah, they are usually blended.
Is our opinion about, and willingness to experiment with, those varieties partly or mostly a result of the history from those regions in France? Or are they that way in France because of which varieties do and don’t blend well? Interesting question.
Pinot Meunier is a distinct clone of Pinot Noir. (In the world of Pinot Noir elsewhere, like California, you could say it’s quaint to have such a binary view of a grape with such clonal diversity.)
And Jura, with Pinot Noir/Trousseau/Poulsard as a classic blend.
But, it’s a modern thing that Burgs are near 100% varietal wines rather than field blends. You could say it’s the result of a long evolution that lead to red and white Burgs being (near) 100%, but not that that’s something that’s always been.
I had wondered that, and almost asked the question in my post. Did they experiment over a long time and conclude that 100% chard or 100% pinot was better than any blend? It sounds like you are saying they did.
I’d be fascinated to hear more about that history, if anyone knows it. I’ve heard stories of red Burgs occasionally being fattened by adding syrah a long time ago, but I hadn’t heard of an actual evolution of wines going from blended to single varietal in Burgundy.
I’m sure others can answer better, but there are so many factors. One is improving vineyard practices through innovation. That can diminish or eliminate the roles of other grapes in a field blend. Another thing to consider is the clonal material evolved over the centuries through the selection process. They propagate the best performing vines for the site and try out material from other sites they have access to that looks particularly promising. So, it’s a fine tuning that can eliminate the need for other grapes.
I think it’s fair to say adding Grenache was a thing of an era. Like, the bones of the wines, what the sites gave, the complexity, character and structure were the greatness of Burgundy. But, the market rewarded the body of the then riper vintages. Blending in a similar grape that wouldn’t stick out, from a warmer climate, would be a good way to add body and fruit while still showing it’s terroir.
Agree. Why would one do that? They are fine on their own.
I wuz talkin’ about still wines.
I cannot agree about Passetoutgrain. I’ve tasted dozens, have never been able to ask for a glass, and have risked offending Burgundy producers I like and have imported by refusing to buy any.
I knew there would be Board Geeks who would bring up something like N. Italian field blends… afaik, I haven’t had one, am open to trying if somebody suggests one… what are the other varietals involved?
Of course there are Pinot blends from the Jura, but somebody once told me that Jura is overrated. I would happily blend anything with Poulsard, including Kool Aid, battery acid or strychnine, as long as I don’t have to drink it.
I had never heard of Grenache being blended into Pinot Noir in the Good Old Days of Burgundy. I believe Carignan was the go-to.
Dan Kravitz
Sounds crazy, but I love this kind of stuff. I am a huge fan of trying outlandish wines or strange grape configurations.
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Dan,
Definitely well known in CdP that Grenache was sold to Domaines in Burgundy. I wish Philippe Cambie was still around so you could talk to him about the process. He even brought up the idea with me of doing it again under our Beau Marchais label, but it never happened prior to his passing. – Read Harry Karris’ book on CdP and you’ll find it mentioned.
Adam Lee
Clarice Wine Company
I doubt you would find this wine up to your liking. I love both but this combo was not complementary. Maybe other producers are making a more compelling wine with Syrah/Pinot.
Some of the greatest wines ever made in Australia have been made with Syrah with some Pinot Noir blended. I believe these were mainly made in the 1930s-50s, alleged to have aged magnificently for 40-50 years (I’ve not been privileged enough to drink one of these), and now trade for 4 figure prices (if they can be found at all). Made by Mount Pleasant in the Hunter Valley, NSW.
Wonder why they stopped doing this if they were so good.
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The founder and winemaker, Maurice O’Shea, died in 1956. He was chiefly responsible for the style.
I do take your point that the Syrah and Pinot Noir blend in most regions is odd, with Syrah usually overpowering. Wouldn’t make sense to blend high-octane Syrah from Napa with Pinot noir. The Hunter Valley is likely an exception, with the Syrah there more acid-driven, less tannic and lower alcohol as it is picked earlier. With good bottle age, the Syrah can mature into something resembling Red Burgundy - hence the wines in the olden days being labelled as “Hunter River Burgundy”.
Hopefully the aussies weigh in…. I don’t think Hunter River burgundy had any Pinot noir in it. I’m not sure there was any Pinot planted in the Hunter (then or now). Mostly Syrah with a blend of other grapes.
The move towards 100% varietal wines was more to do with the appellation laws than anything else. And those were understandably strict as any margin for maneuver would have been abused.
However, Pinot Gris (“Pinot Beurot)”), Pinot Blanc, Aligoté and others were/are traditional components in field blends. You still find quite a bit of Pinot Gris in Vosne and Chambolle. It’s a good thing, I think. My Aligoté block contains some Pinot Noir that I always press along with the Aligoté.
In terms of “medicine wines”, Syrah wasn’t really a thing. As Adam observes, it was more Grenache from the southern Rhône, much more complementary to Pinot than Syrah. And of course, Algerian wine.
I confess I tend to think it’s a good thing that the late Philippe Cambie never tried making wine in Burgundy, however.
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Redolent offers Brother from Another Mother that’s 50-50 Pinot/Nebbiolo co-ferment wine. Great summer wine… shockingy good and disappears from the bottle quickly.
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