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The iron fist in a velvet glove wine creeps up on you. It might smell quite soft and subtle, and it is usually pale in colour, but it shows an edgy power as it moves across the palate, and a long finish with nice acidity. It brings richness to traditional Champagne blends when it is partnered with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
Classic Burgundian Pinot Noir has red fruit flavours – cherry, strawberry, raspberry – when young which develop into savoury and gamey notes as the wine ages. A marvelous description in a book profiling Domaine Romanee Conti – often regarded as the pinnacle of Pinot Noir (with prices to match) – cited a ‘horseman riding by,’ evoking the autumn leaves and mushrooms underfoot, the leather saddle, the slightly sweaty beast. Tannin levels vary, but are never too astringent. Sounds perfect, so far.
Yet Pinot Noir is known as the heartbreak grape because essentially it is difficult to grow. It buds early, thus prone to spring frosts, mildew and rot, and various leaf diseases. Its thin skins break easily, and it does not like excessive sunshine, preferring cool weather and even fog. While its spiritual home is surely Burgundy, and more specifically the Cote de Nuits, where it shows extraordinary nuances from one village to another, there are some beautiful examples from the New World. It grows well in Ontario (US), in Victoria State in Australia, and in various pockets of New Zealand (Martinborough, Central Otago, Wairapa), though potentially higher alcohol levels can compromise the grape’s seductive aromas and body
Yet Pinot Noir is known as the heartbreak grape because essentially it is difficult to grow. It buds early, thus prone to spring frosts, mildew and rot, and various leaf diseases. Its thin skins break easily, and it does not like excessive sunshine, preferring cool weather and even fog. While its spiritual home is surely Burgundy, and more specifically the Cote de Nuits, where it shows extraordinary nuances from one village to another, there are some beautiful examples from the New World. It grows well in Ontario (US), in Victoria State in Australia, and in various pockets of New Zealand (Martinborough, Central Otago, Wairapa), though potentially higher alcohol levels can compromise the grape’s seductive aromas and body
Pinot Noir and food pairing
Tastes great with: Very food friendly. Especially Peking duck or almost any kind of duck dish. New World Pinot can work with spicy food.
TIP: Pinot Noir oxidizes more quickly than many reds, so rarely stays in good condition for more than 24 hours after opening.
