What is Pinot Noir?
Pinot Noir is a red wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Light to medium red with red fruit, savoury earth and gentle tannin; excellent with lean meats and salmon. Typical flavours include Light to medium red with red fruit, savoury earth and gentle tannin; excellent with lean meats and salmon..
Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany
Pinot Noir
Light Red · 11-14%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Pinot Noir is commonly associated with Pinot Noir. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany.
Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany
Australia; New Zealand; France; Italy; Spain; Germany
What does Pinot Noir pair well with?
Pair Pinot Noir by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with Seafood, poultry, lamb, barbecue, creamy sauces and desserts depending on style.. It is usually less successful with Very hot chilli or highly bitter dishes can make wine taste harsh..
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Pinot Noir?
A good Pinot Noir should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium-high, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually light-medium, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Pinot Noir can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Pinot Noir, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include Australia; New Zealand; France; Italy; Spain; Germany.
Serve Pinot Noir at around 13-15°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
