According to grape historian and expert, and winemaker, Stephen J. Casscles:
Noiret is a relatively new hybrid grape variety used in red wine production, offering another red wine varietal option for cold climate grape growers. It is becoming more widely planted in New York state, and is just now beginning to be seen in commercially available wines here and on the East Coast.
NOIRET WAS DEVELOPED (and named and trademarked) by Cornell University at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. A cross of NY 65.0467.08 (NY 33277 x Chancellor) and Steuben, Noiret has been available for testing since 1994, but wasn’t officially released until July 2006. Released along with Corot Noir, the two were the first of Cornell’s red wine grape varieties adapted specifically for grape growing regions in the Northeast.
Noiret’s genetic makeup is somewhat complex, and consists of 65 percent labrusca hybrids and other varieties native to the northeastern region of North America. Its ancestry includes such early popular varieties like Diamond, Catawba, Iona, and Concord.
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The breeders at Cornell note that Noiret wines are “richly colored” and have overtones of “green and black pepper along with raspberry, blackberry, and some mint aromas.” Noiret has a “fine” tannin structure that is complete from the front to the back of the palate. The good tannin structure, and the absence of any hybrid aromas, strongly distinguish Noiret from other red French-American hybrid grapes.
Noiret’s color can be a dark ruby red with purple hues that is also suitable for Port production. The Steuben lineage of Noiret is evidenced by its “tootie-fruity” cherry and strawberry fruit tastes that can be traced to its high percentage labrusca heritage. When made well, Noiret can have a good, medium-bodied tannin structure that supports its fruit of choke cherries, blueberries, black raspberries, cooked plums and grape juice. While the nose can be muted, its structure might best be described as being flinty and metallic, with the spice of black pepper and wood resin. Because of its distinct black pepper character it has been compared to Petite Syrah and Pinot Noir.
I cannot lie, I have often thought of Noiret of the most Frankenstein of Cornell's breeding program. Did I say I didn't like Noiret? Vigorous. Disease resistant. Good crop. Awful wine.
Now, Frank and Karen Graessle own Clearview Vineyards. It's a wonderful winery in the southern Hudson Valley. They make a very nice Seyval Blanc and a very nice Cabernet Franc. But they are keeping a big secret there....they make one of the best Noiret wines I have ever tasted.
Now, I am not exaggerating. On two different occasions, I tasted both the Clearview Noiret 2015 and Clearview Noiret 2016. Both are 100% estate grown fruit. Both were aged in oak.
In May of last year I wrote of the Clearview Vineyards Noiret 2016 I wrote, "Noiret, never one of my favorite hybrids, also showed extremely well. I see it as a blender, but Clearview Vineyards made a believer out of me!" It had just been bottled.
Then this June 2018, I tried the wine again at the Bounty of the Hudson Wine Festival. It had improved! The Clearview Noiret 2016 was a big, big wine, with lots of dark cherry, dark cassis, and black pepper. And it's spent some time in oak. It had structure, color, complexity, and balance. It was the best Noiret I can remember having.
Hats off to Frank and Karen. Great stuff!