Princess Nora’s Favorite Wines
Pinot Noir
The Elegant, Delicate Princess of Burgundy
Meet Princess Nora, the Princess of Burgundy, France. She's delicate, elegant, and a little high maintenance. She prefers cold weather, dresses in ruby red, and doesn't get along with many people, except her best friend Charlie (Chardonnay), who she enjoys Champagne with.
In wine terms? Princess Nora is Pinot Noir, one of the world's most celebrated (and finicky) red wine grapes. Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape, prone to diseases and needs constant attention.
But when the conditions are right, it produces some of the most prized wines in the world.
Expect a light-to-medium bodied wine with high acidity and lower tannins. In the glass, Pinot Noir is pale ruby, and looks semi-translucent when you tilt it. You'll pick up red fruits like cherry and raspberry, sometimes earthy notes like mushroom or forest floor when aged.
Burgundy is Princess Nora's homeland, but she travels a lot. You'll find great Pinot Noir from New Zealand, Australia, US, Germany, Italy, and Chile.
Pinot Noir is usually not blended with other grape varieties, except when teamed up with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier to make Champagne.
Now let's find you some bottles she'd actually approve of.
Princess Nora's Top Picks
We picked bottles from Nora's homeland and beyond. All available on Pop Up Wine Singapore and Straits Wine Singapore. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a casual weeknight
Pike & Joyce : Rapide Pinot Noir 2025
Adelaide Hills, Australia | $45 / bottle
Princess Nora says: "Pinot Noir doesn't only grow in Burgundy, you know. This Australian bottle is bright and easy, full of cherry and cranberry, and the 2019 vintage scored 90 points from The Wine Front and took a Silver at the Australian Pinot Noir Challenge. Pike & Joyce is a five star winery in the Halliday Wine Companion. Simple pleasures deserve good wine too."
Pairs with: Grilled salmon, roast chicken, or a simple charcuterie board
2. Great value-for-money
Ata Rangi : Crimson Pinot Noir 2024
Martinborough, New Zealand | $66 / bottle
Princess Nora says: "Ata Rangi is one of New Zealand's finest Pinot Noir producers, and Crimson is how they welcome you into their range. Delicate wild berry and rosehip on the nose, light and crisp on the palate, rated 91 points by Stephen Wong at The Real Review. Elegant and refined without asking too much of your wallet."
Pairs with: Roast pork belly, mushroom pasta, or a cheese platter
3. For your first Burgundy
Domaine Louis Chenu : Bourgogne Rouge 2022
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Burgundy | $79 / bottle
Princess Nora says: "This is what real Burgundy tastes like. The Chenu family has been making wine in Savigny-lès-Beaune for five generations, all organically. Red cherry, earth, and bright acidity, rated 3.9 out of 5 on Vivino. Consider this your first proper taste of my homeland."
Pairs with: Coq au vin, mushroom risotto, or a soft cheese platter
4. For a special occasion
Clos Du Moulin Aux Moines : Savigny-les-Beaune Les Grands Picotins 2019
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Burgundy | $99 / bottle
Princess Nora says: "Now we are getting serious. This estate sits in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Beaune and grows its grapes without any chemicals, working with the land the old fashioned way. Black plum, cocoa, and velvety tannins, rated 4.2 out of 5 on Vivino. Open it for a birthday, an anniversary, or simply because you deserve it."
Pairs with: Roast duck, wild mushroom tart, or aged Comté cheese
Pinot Noir Cheat Sheet
| Body | Light to medium |
| Color | Pale ruby, semi-translucent at the edge |
| Tasting notes | Red fruits (cherry, raspberry, strawberry), sometimes earthy/mushroom notes |
| Serve at | 12–15°C |
| Best with | Duck, salmon, mushrooms, soft cheeses, charcuterie |
| Avoid with | Heavy BBQ sauces, very spicy food, strong blue cheeses |
| Glass type | Burgundy glass (wide bowl to let the aromas open up) |
Meet Princess Nora
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