*photo: @coopermountainvineyards. All other photos by Lisa Denning.*

Pinot Noir is a grape variety that wears its heart on its sleeve. Thin-skinned and temperamental, it mirrors its environment more than most others, making it so beloved by wine growers and drinkers alike—even if it occasionally drives the former mad. The grape demands a lot of attention and patience, but when it works, it’s magic. Once you’ve tasted a few side by side, you realize that the wine’s power lies in its sense of place.

In a follow-up to my earlier exploration of Pinot Noir (Around The World With Eight Great Pinot Noirs), I sampled three wines that couldn’t be more different—yet all speak the language of Pinot Noir fluently. One is from Oregon’s cool-climate Willamette Valley, another from Italy’s alpine Alto Adige region, and the third from southern France’s sunny and warm Languedoc region. Each wine shows the grape’s signature elegance and high-toned fruit but with notable regional differences.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $33.
Oregon has become the U.S. spiritual home for Pinot Noir, and Cooper Mountain’s version is a great example of why. There’s a sense of restraint, a lightness, that is reminiscent of Burgundy with notes of fresh, tart raspberries mingled with hints of iron-enriched earth, as in a mossy woodland after rain. Certified organic and biodynamic. 13.5% ABV. Pair it with herb-crusted pork tenderloin, mushroom risotto, or wild salmon fillet.

Castelfeder ‘Glen’ Pinot Nero (Alto Adige, Italy) $36.99.
In Italy’s mountainous north, Pinot Nero grows in high-altitude vineyards that lend this wine clarity and precision. Castelfeder’s ‘Glen’ is from a single-site vineyard in Montagna and is like a breath of fresh mountain air—and earth! Fragrant and floral, with a tangy cranberry-raspberry zip, it may be on the lighter side, but its soft, fine-grained tannins give just the right amount of structure. 13.5% ABV. Pair it with prosciutto and hard cheeses like Fontal, roast chicken with rosemary and lemon, or a simple grilled trout.

Domaine de L’Aigle (Haute Vallée de L’Aude, Languedoc, France) $34.99.
Pinot Noir from Southern France? Yes, if you climb high enough. Famed wine producer Gérard Bertrand’s Domaine de L’Aigle is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, on one of the highest vineyard sites in the Languedoc. This is a slightly more robust style than the other two—darker fruit, a touch of spice, and more structural texture—but still true to Pinot’s essential elegance. Certified organic and biodynamic. 14% ABV. Pair it with cherry-glazed duck breast, herbes de Provence-coated lamb chops, or lentil and root vegetable stew.

Together, these three wines reinforce what makes Pinot Noir so compelling. Every bottle is a story of origin, told in this grape’s unmistakable voice.