Pinot Noir

What is it?

Pinot Noir is a popular red grape grown in many places, including France, the USA, Germany, New Zealand, and others. It is the 6th most planted red grape variety in the world. Pinot Noir is relatively susceptible to many diseases, which makes it difficult to grow consistently. It is also the grape whose color mutations include Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.

Primary flavors are raspberry, cherry, mushroom, vanilla, and hibiscus. There are many suggested pairings for Pinot Noir, including fish, duck, and mushrooms. Next week, we will be trying a Trebbiano, followed by an Eiswein (Ice Wine) in celebration of Ryan's birthday!

Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes

7.9. I was proud of myself for identifying the raspberry notes in this. To me, the nose and taste have a lot of raspberry in them. The finish is very jammy to me - almost like what I envision drinking jelly would feel and taste like. This wine was sweeter than I thought it would be and very fruit-forward. Overall, a very pleasant red wine.

Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes

8.4 On the nose I get raspberry, cherry, dark chocolate, and potting soil. Although I will mention that I'm getting over a cold and my sinuses are pretty stuffy. Upon tasting I get mostly cherry for the fruity notes. There's a little bit of a choclate sensation as well as a toasty nuttiness similar to walnut and almond. If you've ever had them, the taste is a little similar to the Milk Rum Nougat and the Milk Mayfair from See's Candy. Moreover, I also get some oakiness and a tiny bit of smoke towards the end. In general, it's relatively sweet for a red wine, with not a whole lot of tanin or acidity. The finish is relatively dry, but throughout the tasting experience, the wine is mostly plump and jammy. Overall, it's a pretty good wine that has some decent complexity and depth without sacrificing drinkability.

References

[1] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.

[2] "Pinot Noir." Wine Folly. https://winefolly.com/grapes/pinot-noir/. Accessed: October 2023.

Wines we haven't finished

  • Week 36 - White Pinot Noir