Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

One of the oldest grapes grown to make wine, Pinot Noir is considered the great wine grape. Its origin dates back to the Ancient Romans calling this grape Helvenacia Minor. They cultivated this grape as early as the first century AD. It is very delicate and many wine experts favor its taste. In the recently released movie Sideways they talked about the grapes superior flavor to merlot or any other grape. The movie went on and on about the complexity of the grape. The movie itself boosted Pinot Noir sales by thirty percent.

Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to master its growth. Many wineries take years to perfect this growing method. Only cooler climates with misty breezes will suffice for its delicate maturity. It is grown in many countries like Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, Czech Republic, United States and more. But it is famous from Bourgogne. This area in France is a two mile wide, thirty mile long stretch of hills. The hills slope towards the east giving the vines long sun exposure with less afternoon heat. The soil also contributes to its consistent success with high calcium carbonate allowing it to drain well. These factors assists ripening and more flavor.

This wine has a rich light bodied flavor that feels like smooth silk on your palate almost like a velvety texture. It is a high alcohol wine ranging from eleven percent to fourteen percent alcohol. Its color is a medium to dark ruby red color. It is recommended to drink your Pinot Noirs at a young age but some are better aged. The average peak of a Pinot Noir is five to eight years after the vintage. This is due to the acetification that is prone to happen which causes the aromas and flavors to dissolve.

The aroma of a typical Pinot is light and fruity. If the grape is extra ripe you may get a pepperminty or black cherry aroma. Some smells are also described as ripe tomato, mushrooms, or barnyard. A