The Comprehensive Guide to Pinot Noir

Few wines are described in such sensual terms as Pinot Noir. Light in color, with barely perceptible tannins, many could be deceived into thinking this wine is “delicate.” She isn’t. Rather, she’s multi-faceted. 

With complex flavors and aromas ranging from raspberry to strawberry jam and forest floor, Pinot Noir is versatile, pairing beautifully with a host of different dishes.

In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into this elegant red wine, its many growing regions, tasting notes, and of course, plenty of food pairings. Interested in learning more about red wine? Consider reading our guides on Grenache, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Montepulciano next!

Characteristics of Pinot Noir

The Pinot Noir grape’s thin skin makes primarily dry red wines, with one notable exception, but more on that later. It is considered one of the founder varieties and is believed to be the grandparent of many well-known grapes, including Syrah. Its parents are unknown. 

One of the most popular wines in the world, Pinot Noir is grown across numerous wine regions, though its sensitivity to weather and propensity for uneven ripening make for varying quality. It’s most notably grown in France, in the Burgundy and Champagne regions. It’s also widely grown in the United States, New Zealand, and Germany.

However, when grown with care and minimal oak aging, great Pinot Noir exudes delicate flavors of red cherries, raspberries, vanilla, smoke and cola. As these wines age, the fruit falls away, and invites the complexity of earth-driven flavors of mushroom and forest develop. In warmer climates, Pinot Noir usually has more cooked red fruit flavors of strawberry jam and baking spices. 

A typical bottle of Pinot Noir is dry, with medium body, low to medium tannins, medium to high acidity, and medium alcohol. It should be enjoyed young, around 1-2 years from bottling. However, that isn’t necessarily true of more expensive bottles. Some Burgundy wines can age for up to a decade and only get better with time.

A Word on Pinot Noir Clones

Another reason growing Pinot is so tricky is that it is genetically unstable and predisposed to mutating into different “clones.” Some clones are more popular than others for their ability to ripen, color, and flavor. To really throw a wrench into our thinking, these clones are not named in an orderly fashion. Instead, they have names ranging from Pommard to Mount Eden, 777, 114, and 667. Don’t worry—there won’t be a quiz!

Pinot Noir Tasting Notes

With a light to medium body and soft tannins, Pinot Noir is delicate yet refined. Its red fruit flavors of cherries, plums, and berries are complemented by subtle baking spices and vanilla. As mentioned, in a warm climate, Pinot will exude more cooked red fruit flavors like strawberry jam or canned cherries, along with more intense baking spices. 

As Pinot ages, red fruit flavors become less perceptible and are replaced with more earth-driven flavors of mushrooms, forest floor, and leather.

How to Serve

Pinot Noir is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled at around 55F (cellar temperature) in a standard red wine glass or a Burgundy glass, which is tapered to highlight the fruitiness and temper the acidity. Decanting is not necessary and can negatively affect the wine, making the Pinot Noir taste dull and lackluster. 

Notable Growing Regions for Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir’s birthplace is France, where the best examples remain. However, other countries have found success with this temperamental grape. 

France

Beginning with France, Pinot Noir is very popular here and is responsible for some of the most expensive, sought-after wines in the world. There are two very different styles, Burgundy and Champagne. 

In the Burgundy region of France, the capital of Pinot, it accounts for 70% of Pinot’s production. It is the sole red grape permitted in Burgundy red wines (for white Burgundy, it’s Chardonnay). Cooler regions like this produces refined, sophisticated red wines with pure flavors of black cherry, blackberry, violets, spice, and subtle gaminess. 

Today, many wine regions that grow Pinot Noir follow “Burgundian winemaking methods”: harvesting in small lots and fermenting each lot separately, using indigenous yeast, gently handling the grapes, and using minimal new oak for aging. 

Second in popularity to Burgundy is Champagne, where Pinot Noir is one of the three grapes permitted to make true Champagne. The other two are Chardonnay and Pinot Munier, the latter of which is a long-distance clone of Pinot Noir. 

It is not unusual to see Pinot kept as a single varietal in Champagne. In fact, rosé Champagne made from Pinot Noir can be some of the most expensive bottles of Champagne. Flavors of Pinot Noir in Champagne include bruised apple, brioche, caramel, strawberries, and raspberry.

United States 

Pinot Noir is widely grown in both California and Oregon. In California, it has found success in vineyards throughout Sonoma County, the central coast, and along the Russian River Valley. Because California is a warmer climate, these wines tend to lean towards more cooked red fruit and spice flavors, including ripe strawberry, cranberry, and cherry cola. 

In the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Pinot is made in a Burgundian style, with delicacy and hand-harvesting methods predominant. The region is a much cooler climate than California and produces more tart, refined Pinot with red berry, cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and subtle chocolate notes. These wines can be enjoyed young or aged in Burgundy style for several years.

Germany

Germany is the world’s third-largest producer of Pinot, where it is locally known as Spätburgunder. Being so close to France, it’s often seen as a region comparable in quality but for a far cheaper price tag.

Pinot is most commonly grown in the moderate and dry Ahr, Franken, Rheingau, and Baden regions. Wineries in these regions produce fruit-forward wines with flavors of red cherry, baking spice, cranberry, and subtle white pepper.

Pinot Noir Food Pairings

When deciding what food to pair with Pinot Noir, the harder choice is deciding what doesn’t pair with Pinot.

Since Pinot is very light and has unobtrusive tannins, it is one of the few red wines that can dance between light dishes and more substantial proteins. In fact, it’s often considered salmon’s best friend.

Other favorites include duck, chicken thighs, Thanksgiving turkey, and mild cheeses. Aged Pinot belongs with mushrooms, as the complimentary umami flavor is unmatched.Try it with my Whole Roasted Chicken or Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

Avoid certain types of red meat, like smoked BBQ or steaks, which can be overpowering. Likewise, avoid dishes with higher acidity than wine, such as ceviche or salads with vinaigrette. 

Whether you’re pairing it with food or sipping it on your patio, we know you’ll love exploring the many facets of Pinot Noir. Be sure to shout out any favorite food pairings or specific Pinot Noir wines you’ve tried and loved!