Around the World with Pinot Noir Clones
If you’ve ever tasted a Pinot Noir with just the right balance of fruit, earth, spice, and elegance, chances are Pinot Noir 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 Pinot Noir 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 (UCD 4)
The Oregon Classic
- Flavor Profile: Black cherry, plum, baking spice, mushroom, and earthy complexity
- Structure: Rich body with substantial tannins and age-worthy acidity
- Best Used For: Producing cellar-worthy Pinot Noir with exceptional depth and complexity
- Notable Features: Originating from Burgundy’s Pommard region, this clone became one of Oregon’s defining Pinot Noir selections after arriving in the 1960s
- Where It’s Found: Extensively planted throughout the Willamette Valley, particularly in older vineyards
- Why We Use It: It’s part of our heritage. Our original Block 2, planted in 1974, is Pommard clone and continues to produce some of our most celebrated wines.
6. Wädenswil Clone (UCD 2A)
The Graceful Traditionalist
- Flavor Profile: Bright red fruits, cranberry, strawberry, floral notes, and subtle spice
- Structure: Elegant body with refined tannins and lively acidity
- Best Used For: Creating elegant, aromatic Pinot Noir with excellent aging potential
- Notable Features: Originated from Switzerland before becoming a cornerstone of early Oregon vineyards
- Where It’s Found: Historic vineyards throughout Oregon and cooler wine-growing regions worldwide
- Why We Use It: It contributes elegance, lift, and classic Oregon character to our wines.
7. Mariafeld Clone (UCD 23)
The Color Specialist
- Flavor Profile: Dark berries, black cherry, earthy undertones, and subtle floral aromas
- Structure: Firm tannins with vibrant acidity and deep color
- Best Used For: Adding color intensity, structure, and disease resistance to vineyard plantings
- Notable Features: A Swiss clone known for its resilience and naturally darker pigmentation
- Where It’s Found: Oregon, Switzerland, and selected cool-climate vineyards worldwide
- Why We Use It: It adds depth and resilience while enhancing complexity in select vineyard blocks.
8. Coury Clone
The Oregon Original
- Flavor Profile: Red cherry, raspberry, rose petals, baking spice, and tea leaf
- Structure: Delicate tannins with bright acidity and exceptional aromatic lift
- Best Used For: Producing elegant, distinctly Oregon Pinot Noir with remarkable perfume
- Notable Features: Believed to have been introduced to Oregon by Charles Coury in the 1960s, though its exact origins remain debated
- Where It’s Found: Older vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley
- Why We Use It: It represents an important piece of Oregon wine history and contributes beautiful aromatics to our estate wines.
9. Swan Clone
The California Legend
- Flavor Profile: Wild strawberry, black cherry, rose petals, Asian spice, and forest floor
- Structure: Silky tannins with excellent concentration and balance
- Best Used For: Producing intensely aromatic wines with exceptional elegance and complexity
- Notable Features: Selected by legendary California grower Joseph Swan, this clone has become highly prized for premium Pinot Noir production
- Where It’s Found: California, Oregon, New Zealand, and select cool-climate vineyards worldwide
- Why We Use It: It contributes expressive aromatics and silky texture, helping round out complex blends.
Why Knudsen Vineyards Plants Multiple Pinot Noir Clones
Much like an orchestra, every clone contributes something different. Some provide bright fruit, others structure, while others bring aromatics or longevity. By planting multiple Pinot Noir clones across our estate, we can create wines with remarkable balance, complexity, and consistency from vintage to vintage.
Each vineyard block has its own elevation, aspect, soil profile, and growing conditions. Matching the right clone to the right location allows each vine to reach its fullest potential while expressing the unique character of our estate.
Experience Pinot Noir Clones for Yourself
The beauty of Pinot Noir clones is that they each tell a different story, but together they create something far greater than any single clone could accomplish alone.
Whether you’re enjoying our Family Series Pinot Noir, exploring our Talking Blocks Series, or tasting a special bottling from our Founders Series, you’re experiencing the thoughtful blend of clones that makes Knudsen Vineyards wines unique.
We invite you to visit our tasting room to experience firsthand how these remarkable Pinot Noir clones come together to tell the story of our vineyard, our history, and Oregon wine.
