Around the World with Pinot

If you've ever tasted a Pinot Noir with just the right balance of fruit, earth, spice, and elegance, chances are clones played a role—not sci-fi clones, but grapevine cuttings selected for their unique traits.

Burgundy, the historic home of Pinot Noir, has perfected these clones over centuries, combining cool climate and limestone soils to create its signature style. At Knudsen Vineyards in Oregon's Dundee Hills, similar cool climate, volcanic soils, and elevation make it an ideal place to grow heritage and French Dijon clones.

Pinot Noir is famously nuanced and expressive of place. Even within one vineyard, different clones can produce very different wines. That's why we've planted a range of carefully chosen clones across our 130-acre estate—to build complexity, texture, and longevity in every bottle.

What Exactly is a Clone?

Over the last century there has been a  relentless push to improve agriculture throughout the world, especially in viticulture. Government agencies collected grape varieties and began to analyze and categorize any variations within varieties. If a particular variation or selection was deemed worthy to be recognized as unique, superior, or suited to a specific use, it was held separate for propagation. The vines propagated from these individual selections are called clones; they all come from the original mother vine.

 

The 9 Major Clones

1. Dijon Clone 113

The Elegant Minimalist

  • Flavor Profile: Bright red cherry, raspberry, violet
  • Structure: High acidity, moderate tannins
  • Best Used For: Lifting the aromatic profile of a wine with freshness and finesse
  • Notable Features: One of the earlier-ripening Dijon clones, making it a great choice for cooler or more unpredictable vintages
  • Where It's Found: Common in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits; used selectively in Oregon for finesse and floral character

2. Dijon Clone 115

The All-Around MVP

    • Flavor Profile: A balanced mix of red and black fruits—think cherry, plum, blackberry—with floral lift and soft spice
    • Structure: Silky tannins, medium-plus body, and reliable acidity
    • Best Used For: Building complexity and balance; often forms the structural core of a Pinot Noir blend
    • Notable Features: Exceptionally versatile and widely planted across the globe; performs consistently across different soils and climates
    • Where It's Found: Oregon, Burgundy, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Central Otago, Yarra Valley, Baden, and more
    • Why We Use It: It's the steady hand in our blends—bringing fruit, elegance, and longevity to the table

3. Dijon Clone 667

The Dark and Structured One

    • Flavor Profile: Dark cherry, blackberry, and forest floor with subtle earthy tones
    • Structure: Firm tannins, dense mid-palate, elevated acidity
    • Best Used For: Adding structure, body, and concentration—especially helpful in blends needing backbone
    • Notable Features: Known for deep color and powerful texture; produces consistent yields and reliable ripening
    • Where It's Found: Thrives in cool-climate regions like Sonoma Coast, Burgundy, Central Otago, and the warmer stretches of the Willamette Valley
    • Why We Use It: When we want richness and grip—667 delivers boldness without overwhelming the balance

4. Dijon Clone 777

The Aromatic Showstopper

    • Flavor Profile: Blackberries, violets, rose petals, and exotic spices—rich, perfumed, and complex
    • Structure: Velvety tannins, plush mouthfeel, balanced acidity
    • Best Used For: Enhancing aromatic complexity and adding a luxurious, soft texture
    • Notable Features: Deeply expressive on both nose and palate; often used in single-clone bottlings
    • Where It's Found: Widely planted in Burgundy, Santa Barbara, Dundee Hills, New Zealand, and even parts of Canada
    • Why We Use It: For its sheer charm—it brings elegance, perfume, and a bit of drama to the blend

5. Pommard Clone

The Classic Powerhouse

    • Flavor Profile: Dark fruit—think black cherry and plum—combined with earthy mushroom, leather, and dried herbs
    • Structure: Full body, broad shoulders, and substantial tannins
    • Best Used For: Wines with serious aging potential and structural integrity
    • Notable Features: One of the oldest and most widely planted Pinot Noir clones in Oregon
    • Where It's Found: Originated in the Côte de Beaune (Burgundy); a foundational clone in Oregon viticulture
    • Why We Use It: It brings the "old soul" character—depth, umami, and long-term cellaring potential

6. Wädenswil Clone

The High-Acid Spice Rack

    • Flavor Profile: Red currant, cranberry, cherry, with layers of clove, pepper, and subtle herbs
    • Structure: Crisp acidity with fine, elegant tannins
    • Best Used For: Enhancing freshness, spice, and aromatic complexity—particularly in cooler growing seasons
    • Notable Features: Swiss origin with strong disease resistance and adaptability
    • Where It's Found: A Willamette Valley favorite, also used in cooler California regions

7. Martini Clone

The Bold Californian

    • Flavor Profile: Intense black fruit, ripe plum, and a whisper of cocoa or mocha
    • Structure: Dense tannins, rich texture, full-bodied feel
    • Best Used For: Wines meant to age—especially in warmer climates
    • Notable Features: One of California's earliest Pinot Noir clones, offering volume and intensity
    • Where It's Found: Russian River Valley, Carneros, and now occasionally planted in Oregon for contrast

8. Swan Clone

The Delicate Romantic

    • Flavor Profile: Strawberry, rose petal, fresh herbs, and subtle spice
    • Structure: Light and graceful with bright acidity and soft tannins
    • Best Used For: Bringing elegance and aromatic lift—perfect in blends needing finesse
    • Notable Features: A "suitcase clone" believed to be smuggled from Burgundy by California winemaker Joseph Swan
    • Where It's Found: Santa Lucia Highlands, Russian River, some limited use in Oregon

9. Abel Clone

The Savory Rebel

    • Flavor Profile: Black cherry, blackberry, wild herbs, and a subtle savory edge
    • Structure: Firm tannins and long, persistent finish
    • Best Used For: Adding power and length to the final wine
    • Notable Features: Allegedly sourced from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and planted illegally in New Zealand (yes, really)
    • Where It's Found: A New Zealand favorite—especially in Martinborough and Central Otago

 

What We Grow at Knudsen Vineyards

Our Dundee Hills estate spans two long, southeast-facing slopes between 500 and 1,000 feet of elevation. Each block is unique—and so is the clonal mix within it. We grow Pommard for structure, 115 for balance, 667 for power, and 777 for aromatic elegance.

Some years, a single clone becomes the star of a limited bottling. Other times, it's the blend that shines—layering fruit, florals, earth, and structure into one seamless expression of the vineyard. Clones shape everything from aroma to texture to longevity. At Knudsen, they're not just vineyard choices—they're part of our winemaking philosophy.

 

Curious How All These Clones Come Together in the Glass?

In Part 2 (Yes, we wrote a Part 2!) Talking Blocks — How Clone Diversity Shapes Knudsen Pinot Noir. This is a deeper dive into our Talking Blocks collection where each wine is a blend of different clones from different from Pinot Noir blocks. We'll take you behind the scenes at Knudsen Vineyards to see how we blend clone diversity with Dundee Hills terroir to create wines that speak—and sometimes even sing!