We’re going to geek out on Pinot Noir this week with a half-dozen recommended bottles.

The grape typically makes softer, elegant reds with plenty of berry fruit, though there are many elements that affect the character of the finished wine in the bottle.

There are some factors—like the quality of the vintage and whether oak is incorporated during fermentation or the aging process—whose result will be pretty obvious: you pretty much know what you’re getting into, stylewise, before you even pull the cork.

Then there are the more subtle tweaks and nuances, including, in the case of Pinot Noir, which varietal clones have gone into the wine. These clones, which are commonly naturally occurring mutations of the same variety, all fit under the same Pinot Noir umbrella but can vary in how they grow and, more noticeably on our side of things, how they taste.

The crew at the Hatch Winery in West Kelowna played around with the theme, separately crafting three different clones of Pinot Noir in the 2014 vintage, aging each of them in old French oak for 16 months. Being that they’re all from the same vintage and made the exact same way, the result is a spotlight on each clone’s personality, and it’s pretty fascinating—they certainly each have their own expression and flair.

For more information and to track them down, check out the Hatch Wines website.

The Hatch 2014 Bird’s Eye View Pinot Noir Clone 115, $39.99

All three of these wines are quite soft and pretty and are pure pleasure to drink. Super quaffable. Clone 115 does have a good dose of complexity to it, with cola and sarsaparilla notes on the nose and a few cherries bobbing around in there, too.

Those elements continue onto the palate, landing on a nice earthy undercurrent and characteristics of mulled wine, along with spices we associate with it, like cinnamon and cloves.

The Hatch 2014 Bird’s Eye View Pinot Noir Clone 667, $39.99

Clone 667 has aromatics of darker berry fruit, mulberries, blueberries, and the like, and then they’re livened up on the palate with brighter red fruit like wild strawberries and raspberries, finishing off with light floral notes. Of these three wines, I found the 667 to be the most soft and delicate.

The Hatch 2014 Bird’s Eye View Pinot Noir Clone 777, $39.99

Clone 777 strays furthest from the pack, with hardly any berry fruit at all. Distinct notes of stewed dark plums and prunes waft out of the glass at the very first swirl, leading to more of an umami profile on the palate, with flavours of hoisin sauce, black tea, and sun-dried tomato, then finishing with a dark, floral crack of black pepper.

Of course, there’s something to be said for making a wine with a mix of clones; there’s likely to be more complexity going on in the glass when you do so. That’s what they’ve done at SpierHead Winery across Lake Okanagan in Kelowna, with a trio of their own Pinot Noirs, each one with its own unique character.

Information and availability are at the Spierhead Winery website.

Spierhead Pinot Noir 2015, $25

This mix of clones 115, 667, 777, and 828 was aged in French oak for 10 months, which brings a light tannic character to a basket of Italian plums, blackberries, black currants, and some fresh thyme. While those are darker fruit notes, the wine is quite bright and pristine, with juicy acidity; it’s very easy to keep going back to the glass.

Spierhead Pinot Noir GFV Saddle Block 2015, $30

GFV stands for Gentleman Farmer Vineyard, and that’s SpierHead’s home vineyard situated right at the winery. Clones 777, 115, and 828 are all grown in the sandy, silty soils here—each of them present in this wine that has also been aged in French oak for 10 months.

I find the oak here a little more prominent and toasty amongst the red-berry fruit on the nose; the aromas immediately reminded me of the cherry pies with crazy-hot filling that McDonald’s used to have. I totally mean that as a good thing, by the way; if it’s a little too lowbrow for you, maybe think clafoutis instead.

On the palate, those cherry notes continue, with a few baked apples and cinnamon thrown in for good measure.

Spierhead Pinot Noir Cuvée 2015, $38

Finally, the winery selects its best fruit to hand-harvest and age in its best barrels, and that becomes its cuvée; this year’s edition is composed of a Pommard clone, along with clones 667, 777, 115, and 828. Black licorice and dark fruit are here in spades, with a good splash of espresso and cocoa toward the finish.

Further sips include notes of beef brisket, oregano, and a pinch of pepper on the end. There’s a lot going on here, and it’s only going to get better over the next couple of years.