WINE OF THE SEASON

SILKY     ELEGANT     COMPLEX

   

Once the cooler weather arrives, I start gravitating towards red wines. Pinot Noir is a wonderful wine for the autumn season because it is a transition into fuller body reds. It is light and more delicate than most reds. In a quality Pinot Noir you will find delicious berry flavors, mushroom, and earth. It is a wine that pairs with almost anything, especially roasted foods... perfect for fall weather!

aromas of: tart cherry, strawberry, rose

(French Burgundy is known for being very aromatic)

flavors of: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, licorice, mushroom, earth

• semi dry - dry
• body: light - medium
• acidity: medium - high
• alcohol: low - medium
• tannin: low

Many would label Pinot Noir as a complex wine. It is a favorite by many wine lovers and wine enthusiasts because, when made well, Pinot Noir delivers so many intriguing tastes. It's also very difficult to grow and needs a lot of attention. The character of the wine depends very much on the land and the weather, as well as the work done in the vineyard throughout the year.

Because it is so temperamental, it will taste very different depending on where it is grown and how it is made.

Most Pinot Noir in the world comes from...

• USA (Oregon, California, New York, Washington, Michigan, Ohio)
• FRANCE (Burgundy, Champagne)
• NEW ZEALAND

Pinot Noir grows best in cooler regions, or in areas with cool breezes, although it can grow in warmer climates with a lot of care and good farming. Here is a bit of what to expect from various regions.

COOLER CLIMATE

• lighter body
• higher acidity
• less alcohol
• very fragrant
• more earthy flavors

• dry
• lighter body
• medium acidity
• tastes of sour cherry, strawberry, rose, leaves, mushrooms
• more fragrant
• more subtle
• longer lasting

TRY: Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir

• dry
• light - medium body 
• medium - high acidity
• tastes of tart cherry, fresh berries, cranberry, earth, mushroom
• silky tannin
• more fresh fruit flavors and aromas
• more delicate

TRY: A to Z Pinot Noir

WARMER CLIMATE

• fuller body
• lower acidity
• more alcohol
• richer
• slightly darker
• more ripe fruit flavors

• dry
• medium body 
• medium acidity
• tastes of black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, flowers, spice
• meaty aromas

TRY: Kim Crawford Marlborough Pinot Noir

• dry
• medium body 
• medium acidity
• richer tastes of black cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, clove, cola
• more concentrated

TRY: Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir

Happy Fall!

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimfischer/9521621632/">jamesfischer</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>