Varietal Of The Week
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THE GRAPE
A native of Burgundy, Pinot Noir is a black-skinned grape known for elegance and difficulty to produce. The grapes-have very thin skins and grow in tight clusters that make them very susceptible to rot and mildew and leads to much lower yields. Pinot Noir prefers to be cultivated in cooler regions that allow for long growing periods producing a medium bodied low tannin wine. While most famously grown in Burgundy, California produces great Pinot Noir in the Sonoma Coast, Mendocino, Carneros, and Central Coast. Pinot Noir is widely produced in Oregon's Willamette Valley, New Zealand, and South Africa.
THE WINE
Pinot Noir is a red wine that exhibits a fruit-forward character with notes of blackberry, cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Pinot Noir has notable herbal or earthy qualities of leather, musk and mushroom, along with spice notes of cinnamon, clove, smoke, and tobacco. Depending on where it's grown, Pinot Noir can have a dryness and tannin structure ranging from moderate to mild. Pinot Noir's known for it's silky, elegant mouthfeel and bright complex flavor.
PERFECT PAIRINGS
Pinot Noir is terrific on it's own, but it also pairs well with cured meats, grilled vegetables, and antipasti. Manchego and Pecorino cheeses are also delightful pairings.
