Pinot Noir Wine

Pinot Noir is a red wine produced from grapes that look black. The name Pinot Noir is taken from the French words pine and black, referencing the black colored grapes that grow in tight clusters. The clusters resemble the tight, clustered look of a pinecone. Pinot Noir grapes are finicky and can only thrive under the right conditions, and are grown chiefly in the Burgundy section of France. Pinot grapes are the only grapes allowed in the wines of that region, and are crucial in the making of Champagne and other sparkling wines.

Yet, other than Burgundy, Pinot is successfully grown in other regions such as New Zealand, California, and Oregon. Pinot Noir from those regions typically radiate more pungent fruit intensity, allowing those wines to reach a higher level of complexity with age. As with most other Burgundy wines, Pinot Noir matures with its flavors becoming more complex, while maintaining its delicacy.

Choosing a Pinot Noir need not be difficult. You just need to recognize and understand the variety better. Here are some tips for choosing the correct Pinot Noir to complement any food:

• Always choose a wine based on your own preferences. While you may rely upon reviews by wine experts, only you can decide what suits your palette.
• Research and understand growing regions. A Pinot Noir will not grow correctly in unsuitable conditions, resulting in a bad tasting wine. Choose your wine from a suitable growing region.
• If you don't know how Pinot Noir is supposed to taste, then you won't recognize a good one when you taste it. A good Pinot Noir is supposed to be lighter in color and flavor than a cabernet, yet a bit less bold. That is why most wine experts call a Pinot softer than a cabernet.
• If in doubt, always choose a Pinot Noir labeled as old style. When produced in the old style way, a Pinot will be fruiter with a lighter body. Those wines produced in the new style way are more full-bodied with heavy fruit tastes.

Understand the reason why most Pinots are more expensive than a cabernet or merlot. It is because there are fewer bottles produced. Since Pinot Noir grapes are difficult to grow, less bottles of the wine are produced, making them more expensive as demand increases.