There is a certain sexiness about Pinot Noir. Maybe it’s just the name or the fact that it is French that make it the most alluring of all red wines.
The Pinot Noir hails from the Burgandy region of France and is one of three grapes used to make champagne (the real French champagne not the sparkling stuff we should never refer to as champagne). There’s no doubt if you want to impress, it’s Pinot Noir all the way. But if you’re going to be a champion of Pinot Noir and seduce who you want, here are all the juicy facts.
Speaking the Language
Nothing will get you unstuck quicker than mispronouncing Pinot Noir; it is said as pino nwar. Never fall for the rookie error of pronouncing the T! Pinot Noir is derived from the French words for pine and black. The pine refers to the grape variety having tightly clustered, pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit.
It’s Other Names
Pinot Noir goes by other names, and if you select a European bottle, you will get extra points for knowing them. Blauburgunder is the German synonym for Pinot Noir. This name is used mainly in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Blauburgunder means ‘Blue Burgundy’. Imagine how swish you’ll look using Pinot Noir and Blauburgunder in the same sentence.
Spätburgunder is also German. ‘Spät’ is the German word for late and ‘Burgunder’ is used in German to mean Pinot because most Pinot grapes varietals originated in Burgundy.
Rulandské modré is the Czech name of Pinot Noir grown in the northern wine producing regions of Slovakia.
Flavours of Pinot Noir
When you are looking for words to describe the flavour of Pinot Noir, consider red fruits such as cranberry, cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Other non-fruity flavours include vanilla, clove, liquorice, earth, mushroom, tobacco, cola, caramel and wet leaves (or maybe not that one it’s not all that seductive).
What Food Pairings
You can’t go too wrong with pairing food to a Pinot Noir. Being one of the lightest red wines, you can enjoy a glass with cheese and other hors d'oeuvres and continue drinking it with your main meal of seafood, pizza, mushrooms, quail and beef. Its versatility makes it a perfect pairing wine.
Not the Easiest Grape to Transform to Wine
It seems the Pinot Noir vine and grape is as delicate as its name. Due to the tightly-packed growth, Pinot Noir grapes are susceptible to viticultural problems including rot which requires more canopy management than other grapes. The small leaves of the Pinot Noir vine are susceptible to powdery mildew and viruses.
The vine must be kept at a low yield if the grapes are to produce good quality wine. The thin-skins on the grape have low levels of phenolic compounds, so the wine is usually lightly coloured, low tannin and medium bodied that can have uneven and unpredictable ageing. A young grape produces wines with red fruit aromas of cherries, raspberries and strawberries. With age, Pinots develop vegetal and barnyard aromas. The best wines can age 10-15 years.
Where it Grows
Pinot Noir is grown in the Margaret River wine region and most of Australia’s main wine growing areas. Other countries include New Zealand, France, UK, Canada, Germany, United States, Switzerland, Spain, South Africa and Slovenia. Each region produces a slightly different colour and flavour of grape and wine.
So there you have it. You’re now a full bottle on the delicate but delightfully sexy Pinot Noir.
Speaking the Language
Nothing will get you unstuck quicker than mispronouncing Pinot Noir; it is said as pino nwar. Never fall for the rookie error of pronouncing the T! Pinot Noir is derived from the French words for pine and black. The pine refers to the grape variety having tightly clustered, pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit.
It’s Other Names
Pinot Noir goes by other names, and if you select a European bottle, you will get extra points for knowing them. Blauburgunder is the German synonym for Pinot Noir. This name is used mainly in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Blauburgunder means ‘Blue Burgundy’. Imagine how swish you’ll look using Pinot Noir and Blauburgunder in the same sentence.
Spätburgunder is also German. ‘Spät’ is the German word for late and ‘Burgunder’ is used in German to mean Pinot because most Pinot grapes varietals originated in Burgundy.
Rulandské modré is the Czech name of Pinot Noir grown in the northern wine producing regions of Slovakia.
Flavours of Pinot Noir
When you are looking for words to describe the flavour of Pinot Noir, consider red fruits such as cranberry, cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Other non-fruity flavours include vanilla, clove, liquorice, earth, mushroom, tobacco, cola, caramel and wet leaves (or maybe not that one it’s not all that seductive).
What Food Pairings
You can’t go too wrong with pairing food to a Pinot Noir. Being one of the lightest red wines, you can enjoy a glass with cheese and other hors d'oeuvres and continue drinking it with your main meal of seafood, pizza, mushrooms, quail and beef. Its versatility makes it a perfect pairing wine.
Not the Easiest Grape to Transform to Wine
It seems the Pinot Noir vine and grape is as delicate as its name. Due to the tightly-packed growth, Pinot Noir grapes are susceptible to viticultural problems including rot which requires more canopy management than other grapes. The small leaves of the Pinot Noir vine are susceptible to powdery mildew and viruses.
The vine must be kept at a low yield if the grapes are to produce good quality wine. The thin-skins on the grape have low levels of phenolic compounds, so the wine is usually lightly coloured, low tannin and medium bodied that can have uneven and unpredictable ageing. A young grape produces wines with red fruit aromas of cherries, raspberries and strawberries. With age, Pinots develop vegetal and barnyard aromas. The best wines can age 10-15 years.
Where it Grows
Pinot Noir is grown in the Margaret River wine region and most of Australia’s main wine growing areas. Other countries include New Zealand, France, UK, Canada, Germany, United States, Switzerland, Spain, South Africa and Slovenia. Each region produces a slightly different colour and flavour of grape and wine.
So there you have it. You’re now a full bottle on the delicate but delightfully sexy Pinot Noir.
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