Comparison
Australian Pinot Noir vs Valpolicella
How Australian Pinot Noir and Valpolicella differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Australian Pinot Noir has more spice; Australian Pinot Noir has more earthy character; Valpolicella has more acidity.
Choose
Australian Pinot Noir
Choose Australian Pinot Noir if you want something spicier, earthier, more tannic and structured.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Australian Pinot Noir is spicier: medium against low.
Earthy character
Clear differenceForest floor, mushroom, wet stone, clay and undergrowth notes. Frequently, though not exclusively, associated with cooler and more traditional styles.
Australian Pinot Noir is earthier: medium against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Valpolicella is fresher and more acidic: high against medium-plus.
Tannin
Clear differencePhenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak. The principal structural axis of red wine.
Australian Pinot Noir is more tannic and structured: medium against low-medium.
Alcohol
Clear differencePerceived alcoholic strength, which tracks actual ABV but is modified by sweetness, acidity and body.
Australian Pinot Noir is stronger and warmer: medium-plus against medium.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Australian Pinot Noir is fuller and richer: medium against low-medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Oak influence: Similar — both low-medium.
- Floral character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Australian Pinot Noir | Valpolicella |
|---|---|---|
| Spice | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Body | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Texture | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically low-medium, ranging from low to low-medium (2/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 14–16°C | 13–15°C |
| Typical flavours | red cherry, raspberry, rhubarb, clove, forest floor | sour cherry, red plum, almond, violet, herbs |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Style
Australian Pinot Noir
Cool-climate Pinot from the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania — savoury, structured and increasingly serious.
Style
Valpolicella
Light, high-acid, sour-cherry red from the hills north of Verona — the fresh counterpart to Amarone.
Comparison
Amarone vs Valpolicella
Same grapes, same hills — how does one become 16% and the other 12%?
Comparison
Valpolicella vs Ripasso
What does "ripasso" do to the wine?