Pinot Noir - the hardest and most seductive grape
If Cabernet Sauvignon is the powerful king of red wines, Pinot Noir is its subtle, seductive opposite. It is a pale, delicate, silky wine full of nuance that can charm like no other, and at the same time the hardest of the great grapes to grow. Winemakers sometimes call it the heartbreak grape, because it is capricious and demanding, but for those who master it, it gives some of the most beautiful wines in the world. It is worth knowing, because it teaches that in wine subtlety can be more powerful than strength.
Thin skin, the source of delicacy
The key to Pinot Noir’s character lies in its skin. It is a grape with an exceptionally thin skin and small berries, and the skin is responsible for colour and tannin. That is why Pinot Noir gives pale wines, almost translucent in colour, with a light body and soft, silky tannins, completely different from the rough grip of bold reds. I cover tannins in tannins in wine, and wine body in wine body. Despite its lightness, Pinot usually has high acidity, which gives it freshness and nerve.
Character in the glass
Pinot Noir seduces not with strength but with finesse and the complexity of its aromas:
- Red fruit. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and pomegranate are the classic, bright fruity core of a young Pinot.
- Forest and earthy notes. With age, mushroom, forest floor, undergrowth, leaves and spice appear. This is the second, deeper layer that connoisseurs love it for.
- Flowers and spice. Violet, rose or a delicate spicy note often appears in the background.
It is a wine that changes in the glass and reveals something new with every sip.
The hardest grape in the world
Pinot’s reputation as capricious is no exaggeration. The thin skin that gives it its charm also makes it highly susceptible to fungal diseases and rot. The grape is sensitive to soil, weather and temperature, demands a cool climate and dies where it is too hot or too humid. What is more, Pinot Noir reflects terroir, the character of a specific place, like no other red grape, so two wines from neighbouring vineyards can taste completely different. This makes it fascinating but also unpredictable.
The heart of Burgundy
Pinot Noir comes from French Burgundy, where it has been grown for thousands of years and where it reaches its most famous, benchmark expression. It is from this grape that the legendary, most expensive red wines of Burgundy are made. Pinot is also a citizen of the world, though: it gives excellent wines in Oregon, New Zealand, especially Central Otago, in Germany, where it is called Spätburgunder, and in the cooler corners of California. Interestingly, Pinot Noir is also one of the key grapes of Champagne, where a pale, sparkling wine is made from the dark skin, which I cover in how sparkling wine is made.
Pinot Noir versus Cabernet
Pinot is best understood through contrast with Cabernet Sauvignon, which I cover in Cabernet Sauvignon:
- Cabernet - dark, bold, tannic, full, with blackcurrant. Strength and structure.
- Pinot Noir - pale, delicate, silky, with red fruit and forest notes. Finesse and nuance.
These are two ends of the red wine world and a great lesson in how varied reds can be.
Pinot with food and how to serve it
Thanks to its lightness and acidity, Pinot Noir is exceptionally versatile at the table. It suits not only meats but also fish, especially salmon, duck, poultry and mushroom dishes. It is best served lightly chilled, around cellar temperature, because too warm it loses its freshness.
How to explore it
The best way to feel Pinot’s charm is to compare a young, fruity example with a more mature one with forest notes. The same grape, yet two different souls. In GustoNote you note the grape, region, fruitiness and your impressions of every Pinot, and after a few dozen entries you will see whether you prefer the fruity style or the earthy and mature one. It turns a capricious, seductive grape into a specific map of flavours. You will find a full overview of wine types in types of wine.