A complete guide with all the basics you need to know about Pinot Noir Wine!
Pinot noir (also known as Pinot Nero) is a top choice for red wine throughout the world. It’s created from a thin-skinned grape that grows in colder climates. While this black-hued grape variety is challenging to grow, the spicy, fruity finish is reward enough for most.
Continue reading to learn about what makes pinot noir wines stand out enough to inspire festivals.
What Is Pinot Noir?
This type of wine is native to France and is made from pinot noir grapes. Pinot noir wine is one of the most expensive red wines due to the difficulty in growing grapes on pinot noir vines. These thin-skinned grapes are quite finicky as they require the right amount of soil, sunlight, temperature, and attention. Additionally, the popularity of this wine helps drive up the price per bottle. A great pinot noir is complex in flavor, light to medium-bodied, dry, and features an alcohol content of 12%-15%.
Is Pinot Noir Red Or White Wine?
In general, pinot noir bottles typically contain red wines. However, there are white pinot noir options available on the market. White pinot is much rarer to come across. They are more decadent since they are crafted from red wine grapes.
Where Does Pinot Noir Wine Come From?
The origin of pinot noir is unknown. However, it has been produced in France’s Burgundy wine region for many years.
Burgundy pinot noir is well-known as a home for some of the best single-varietal wines available. After the success of Burgundy pinot noir, people from various countries sought to emulate the same earnings. This led to the spread of pinot noir winemakers in other wine regions of France, Europe, the U.S., and New Zealand.
Is Pinot Noir Sweet Or Dry?
Pinot noir is a dry red wine despite its juicy, fruity flavors. When pinot noir is created, the grapes are pressed, and the yeast consumes the sugar in the liquid. The lack of sugar after the fermentation process means a wine is dry. Sweeter wines generally have some residual sugar in them. However, a wine can be dry and still have a few grams of residual sugar left.
What Does Pinot Noir Taste Like?
Pinot noir tastes delightfully complex, with sharp acidity, velvety mouthfeel, and dry taste. You’ll find that the pinot noir flavors vary depending on the producer’s style. In general, pinot noir tastes like cherries, raspberries, and earthy mushrooms. If you elect to try an oak barrel-aged wine, it will have a richer taste that may include vanilla or baking spices. As pinot noir grapes are delicate, they offer different flavors depending on the climate. For example, cooler temperature climates create light-bodied wines, like French pinot noir, while warmer temperature climates create richer, more full-bodied options.
Wine Clubs – A Great Way To Sip Pinot Noir Wines!
Wine clubs are an excellent way to try new pinot noir bottles. These wine subscriptions offer access to pinot noir that you may not otherwise have the chance to try. For example, some services include small-batch wines, options from family-owned companies, organic wines, and other varieties not typically seen in stores.
These subscriptions can help increase your knowledge of pinot noir, from tasting notes for particular bottles to pairing options. You’ll find value in a wine club whether you are a pinot noir beginner or an expert.
Read about our most recommended Pinot Noir wine clubs here.
How Many Calories Are In Pinot Noir?
Since dry wines do not have as much residual sugar, they are lower in calories than sweeter varieties of wine like white Reisling or red Shiraz.
In this case, a typical pinot noir has 125 calories per glass of 5 oz serving. So if you’re consuming a 750 ml bottle, you’ll drink about 625 calories of pinot noir.
Pinot Noir Vs. Cabernet Sauvignon
While both are red wine types, they originate from different grape varieties. While pinot noir is made from a thin-skinned grape, cabernet sauvignon uses a small, thick-skinned grape.
Pinot noir is a lighter-colored red wine with high acidity, red fruit aromas, and a more delicate flavor. Cabernet, on the other hand, is known as a bold red wine. This wine has a darker color and drier taste notes.
Pinot Noir Grapes Vs. Merlot
Merlot is somewhere between pinot noir and cab red wines. It has a fruity flavor, yet the aromas include fruits found in pinot noir. Merlot has a more subtle flavor than pinot noir, a less dry taste, and a lower acidity.
In comparison, pinot noir taste has more velvety and complex notes involving fruits and mushrooms.
Best Food Pairings To Pinot Noir
One word to describe pinot noir is elegant. This elegance translates to the ideal pairings for this wine, which include duck, lamb, poultry, pork, and fatty fish. Pinot noir wine also works well with hearty stews, mushroom-centric dishes like mushroom risotto, and root vegetables.
One popular dish that goes particularly well with red burgundy pinot Nero is ‘beef burgundy‘ – a classic french stew with beef, wine, and vegetables like mushrooms, shallots, and carrots.
As a rule of thumb, try to avoid pairing too decadent foods with pinot noir, as they will overpower the wine.
Do You Need To Refrigerate Pinot Noir?
Pinot noir should be refrigerated once it has been opened to extend its life. It will last in the fridge for 1-3 days once open. After three days, pinot noir will begin to oxidize, which leaves the wine with an unpleasant flavor.
Additionally, it’s best to serve pinot noir at temperatures of 55–65°F. Aim for a lower temperature for more delicate pinot options. Richer pinot noir is best at 65°F. You can achieve these temperatures by keeping the wine bottle in the fridge for about 2.5 hours before serving it.
Did You Know That Pinot Noir Is Considered the Healthiest Wine?
Pinot noir is one of the healthiest red wines to consume due to having higher levels of resveratrol. Red and white wines have resveratrol, a fungicide naturally found in grape skin. This fungicide helps prevent mold on the exterior of the grapes.
Thin-skinned varieties have a higher possibility of mold occurring, so resveratrol levels are naturally higher in these varieties, especially pinot noir grapes. Resveratrol has many potential heart health benefits, such as preventing blood clots and reducing “bad” cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Other potential health benefits include a decrease in the risk of dementia later in life and an increase in “good” cholesterol.
Final Notes For Our Pinot Noir Review
With the many potential health benefits, the delicate yet elegant flavor, and a lush mouthfeel, it’s easy to see why pinot noir is a top red wine choice. This delicious dry wine can turn homemade meals into a more luxurious culinary experience, especially when paired correctly with foods.
Remember to serve pinot noir at the correct temperature for the best flavor. For those who want to ease into red wines, Shiraz is an excellent starter wine before shifting to drier wines like pinot noir or Cab.
