Pinot noir is one of the most challenging grapes to grow in the world. No doubt every winemaker wants to try, but its thin skins and temperamental nature make is difficult in even the best of regions.

That it’s a highly enviable grape to grow is a tribute to Burgundy, which is indisputably the leader in making wine from this capricious grape variety.

At its best, pinot noir is a sensuous grape with subtle characteristics — so unlike cabernet sauvignon with brawny tannins, high alcohol and more obvious flavors. Pinot noir’s characteristics are regularly copied, but rarely with the success of great burgundy.

We recently decided to blind taste some pinot noirs from around the world just to see if we could identify the country of origin. Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult to pick out the wines from Oregon, California, New Zealand, France, and even Chile. The style and gout de terroir can make a difference.

It’s a lot of fun to do this blind tasting with neighbors, as we did, because it’s an easy way to become educated on the influences of terroir.

Here are some pinot noirs we have tasted recently:

Taz Pinot Noir Fiddlestick Vineyard Santa Rita Hills 2005 ($36). Smokey, spicy nose. Deep rich bold black cherry smoky flavors with a hint of oak and spice.

Stoller Pinot Noir 2005 ($45).  Dense, ripe berry flavors with a touch of tobacco, pepper and forest-floor. Very big, luscious wine.

Vavasour Pinot Noir 2003 ($24). Floral, violet aromas with vibrant plum flavors and a touch of cinnamon. Good concentration and purity of fruit. From the Awatere Valley.

Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2005 ($17). Bright cherry flavors with sweet vanilin oak and great texture.

Drylands Pinot Noir 2005 ($18). From the southern Awarere and Wairau Valley, this pinot noir is simple with bright strawberry and plum fruit flavors.

Row Eleven Pinot Noir 2004 ($20). Cherry aromas with a hint of earth and vanilla. Simple but charming.

Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir 205 ($12). A great value in the normally expensive pinot noir category, Red Bicyclette sports simple plum aromas with a jammy, ripe strawberry flavor. Medium body, but delicious.

Foley Santa Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rose Pinot Noir 2005 ($37). Santa Rita Hills is disputably the best California region for pinot noir. Small in size, the appelation has the perfect environment for this grape variety. The Foley vineyard is up 1,000 feet and combines seven clones of pinot noir to make a very big wine with big black cherry and blueberry notes with hints of mushrooms and tea. It’s a wine with good grip and a lasting impression.

TAZ Cuyama River Pinot Noir 2005 ($28). Full bodied, opulent and fruit forward. Floral and raspberry aromas followed by generous raspberry and cherry flavors and smooth mouthfeel. Delicious.

Baileyana Grand Firepeak Cuvee Pinot Noir 2005 ($38). This burgundian-like pinot noir shows off lots of cherry fruit and a rich texture.

J Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2005 ($36). Light color defies the opulent black cherry and raspberry flavors. Generous cherry aromas and a hint of spice on the nose. Soft mouthfeel and lingering finish. A beautiful wine from a house known for its sparkling wine.

Toasted Head Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2005 ($18). Nice spicy cherry nose. Medium bodied with expressive cherry flavors. Should go well with salmon, chicken or pork dishes. Easy to drink at a painless price.

 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Taylor Lane Vineyard 2004 ($54). We have enjoyed Belle Glos wines in the past and this one is no exception. A generous nose and flavor of ripe and dried cherries with some earthy notes in the mouth. A very expressive pinot noir that is very pleasing to drink.