Pinot Noir Wine

A Lighter, Yet Sophisticated Red

Pinot Noir wine is a lighter type of red wine. It is also, what I would call, a sophisticated wine. This red grows in a number of different regions throughout the world from France to Sonoma. It is the main red in the popular Bourgogne from Burgundy.

Pinot wine is another one of my absolute favorites. Each region has a unique Pinot, which makes it a fun one to taste and compare the difference.

It is one of the best red wines on the market today.

Brief History and Overview

This temperamental red is the most challenging in the world to grow. Although it tests the winemakers skills from the vine all the way to the bottle, they still love to grow it. As you can imagine, they love the challenge and enjoy such a wonderful finished product.

The fact that it is so challenging makes the quality and taste of it vary significantly by region and year. The first official recordings of Pinot being grown were in the Burgundy wine region in France in the 1500s. Burgundy was the main producer of this wine for a number of years.

It was in the late 1970s and mostly the 1980s when Pinot began to spread widely into other major wine regions. It is grown in almost every region in the world. Visit the Pinot Description page for a more detailed description for this type of red.

Top Regions

Most of the successful Pinot wines are grown in cooler climates. The Burgundy region grows some of the best and most expensive Pinots in the world. Bourgogne (the French term for Burgundy) grows in a number of regions in the Burgundy area.

This picture shows part of a vineyard of Pinot in the Burgundy in France.

Most of the wines from this region are 100% Pinot Noir. You will also find some of the most expensive ones in the world from the Cote de Nuits region in Burgundy.

Most people do not realize that this red is one of the main grapes in Champagne from France. It is one of three main grape varieties used in the region. Winemakers in the region either leave the skins on for a short period of time or remove them all together during the winemaking process. This is how the wines remain light in color, unlike still red wines. Blanc de Noir is a type of champagne made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes.

California began to successfully grow this light red in the late 1980s. This type of red grows well in Sonoma, specifically in the Russian River Valley region. When buying California Pinot Noir wines, look for Carneros or Sonoma Coast on the labels. These are sub-regions in Napa and Sonoma with some of the best on the market. Visit this section to get a few recommendations for some great Sonoma County Pinots.

With its cool climate, Oregon now has some of the best Pinot Noir on the market today. There are a number of amazing Oregon Pinot Noir wines from the Willamette Valley Oregon region.

In the last ten years, Australia and New Zealand have been working hard on mastering it and have been doing quite well. Other regions include Germany, Austria and many other cooler European regions. Read on to learn even more about the regions with the best Pinot Noir wine.

There are still a number of highly rated yet affordable Pinots on the market today, including these 90+ rated Pinots for $20 or less. You can also find a number of higher end fine Pinot Noir wine from some of the top regions mentioned above, see ratings and reviews for the more recent vintages.

Serving Tips

Pinot Noir wine doesn't need any special attention before serving. Open the bottle and let it mix a little with oxygen before serving.

I recommend opening the bottle at least an hour or two before drinking to give the wine enough time to aerate before serving. You will want to serve your Pinot wines a little cooler than room temperature or around 60°.

Food Pairing Ideas

The great thing about these wines is that it's one of the best types of red to pair with a meal. It goes well with almost any dish except really spicy ones.

For meats, it goes well with lamb, turkey, tuna and salmon. You will find that it also pairs well with lighter pasta dishes with olive oil or a lighter based tomato sauces without over powering spices.

You can also match it with cheeses. It pairs well with almost all cheeses except really strong blue cheeses. The stronger cheeses overpower it so you will not be able to taste the wonderful flavors as much.

Find out more about the other popular types of red wine including:

Also, learn more about these regional red types:

Best Wine with Turkey: Are you looking for the perfect pairing with turkey? Read on for more recommendations on what types to pick up for you upcoming turkey feast.

Tasting Etiquette: Do you have an upcoming tasting event? Do you need some tips before you go? Read on to find the dos and don'ts of tasting.

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