Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to certain health benefits, such as a healthy heart and a sharp mind. Many consider a glass or two of red wine a day as a valuable part of a healthy diet, but also you can use it to create a lovely party atmosphere when family and friends gather at your place.
There are many different types of red wine and all of them come in a variety of tastes and colours. Red wines are made by crushing and fermenting whole dark coloured grapes. Some of the most common varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
Out of all, Pinot wine is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine. It’s known for its red fruit, flower and spice aromas that are accentuated by a long and smooth finish. But what makes Pinot Noir so special is that it’s one of the few red grapes that’s commonly made into red, rose, white and sparkling wine.
Pinot Wine
Let’s begin with a few interesting facts about Pinot Noir. The name comes from the French words for pine and black, referring to the pine-cone shape of its clusters on the wine and the colour of the grapes. But did you know that it’s the 10th most planted grape variety in the world?
Also, it ranks with some of the oldest most historically prised varieties in the world. Pinot Noir wine tends to prefer more intermediate climates with a long and cool growing season. That’s why it can often be found growing in protected valleys or near large bodies of water.
Pinot Noir has a natural ability to be lighter than other red wines. You can find Pinot wine made from lovingly tended grapes and satisfy your senses. There are no rules when it comes to the glass you should use for drinking Pinot Noir, but a large round bell-shaped glass can help you collect the delicate aromas of the wine.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, France. But the variety’s elusive charm has carried it to all manner of vineyards, so today it’s adopted and studied all over the world. The essence of Pinot Noir wines is their aroma of red berries and cherry, while some of the most complex examples offer hints of forest floor. However, its flavours mostly depend on the region in which it was grown.
It requires a lot of care and skills to make Pinot Noir perform. The results can vary from watery, acidic candy waster to rich, intensely perfumed wines. For that reason, Pinot Noir has earned obsessive adoration from wine lovers all around the world.
Is Pinot Noir Dry or Sweet?
This is a very common question and sometimes it confuses consumers. It comes from the fact that Pinot Noir has lovely red fruit flavours and is juicy from its naturally high acidity, making it smooth and easy to drink, but it’s not an indication of sugar. The final answer is that Pinot Noir is a dry wine.
In the making of dry wine, the grapes are pressed and the sugar from the grape must is converted into alcohol by yeast. When all the sugar is converted, you get a fully dry wine. In case a little sugar is left behind, it’s called residual sugar. Sometimes it might be on purpose as to give a hint of sweetness and richness to the wine, or if the yeast didn’t finish the fermentation. However, a few grams of residual sugar per litre is still considered a dry wine.
How to Choose Pinot Noir and What to Serve it With
Pinot Noir is a great choice for those who are looking for something fairly accessible but exciting at the same time. When browsing the options available in your favourite wine store, most likely from the comfort of your home, make sure to always read the label and take a look at the tasting notes. It can help you guide your decisions in terms of your personal preferences.
As a versatile wine grape, Pinot Noir can be paired with a variety of different foods. Pinot Noir is a great choice to pair with many vegetarian main courses. Its earthy and dark flavours make it the ideal wine to pair with earthy ingredients like root vegetables, grilled asparagus, spring vegetable, like peas, mushrooms or else.
If you’ve ever thought that red wine doesn’t pair well with fish, Pinot Noir may change your mind. Thanks to its high acidity and low tannin content, you can drink it with grilled fish, salmon, but also with sushi, and because it’s complex enough as well to stand up richer fair, it pairs perfectly with pork, duck, roast chicken, beef stew, cream sauces, soft or nutty cheeses and more.
Once you’ve selected your Pinot Noir, it’s time to enjoy it. Serving it at the right temperature will allow you to take pleasure in every sip. Keep in mind that light and fruity red wines should be served a little cooler. Pinot Noir is best served slightly chilled at about 55◦F to 65◦F.
Pinot Noir is ready to be served out of the bottle, and unlike other red wines, it doesn’t necessarily need to be decanted. If you don’t finish the bottle, replace the cork and put it in the refrigerator. The flavours will stay fresh for 1 to 3 days. After that, the wine will start to oxidise.