Pinot Noir… perhaps the most romanticized red wine in the world. Why? Well, for one thing, Pinot Noir grapes are exceptionally hard to grow, making a great bottle of Pinot Noir a pretty rare find. Without question the world’s finest Pinot Noir comes from the Burgundy region of France—age-worthy, earthy reds, that are usually pretty costly. You can; however, find some affordable Pinot Noir wines from California and Oregon, as well as New Zealand, Australia and Chile, but they are typically more fruit forward, or lighter than their French counterparts.

As Pinot Noir is grown in so many different regions around the world and since it is very much a reflection of where it is grown, it is hard to really pin down just one personality; however, Pinot Noir is typically delicate and fresh, with very soft tannins. Fruity aromas of cherry,
strawberry and plum, are often paired with rustic notes of damp earth, worn leather and tea-leaf.

Why we love Pinot Noir: Intensely flavored, complex, with incredible longevity—a wine meant to pair with food, that won’t overshadow your meal. Sensuous, with an enticing, sometimes earthy perfume and soft, round, silky, yet structured texture. Finding the perfect Pinot Noir is the Holy Grail of wines.

Food pairing ideas: Great with salmon or other fatty fish, glazed ham, turkey, roasted chicken or beef, and mushroom risotto.

Five of our favorite Pinot Noir wines:

Flowers Pinot Noir
Why we like it: Deep garnet hue. Incredibly complex and ultra smooth, this is one of our favorite Pinot Noirs from California. Easy drinking and a wonderful partner with food this is American Pinot Noir at its very finest.

Meiomi Pinot Noir
Why we like it: A distinctive California Pinot Noir with a world-class taste. Rich ruby hue with lush, fruity aromas and hints of vanilla, mocha and toasty oak. Silky texture and wonderfully balanced.

Rodney Strong Pinor Noir
Why we like it: A lighter, friendlier red than your typical California Cab, this Pinot Noir is medium bodied, wonderfully aromatic and has crisp fruit and spice flavors that work beautifully with so many foods.

Fess Parker Pinot Noir
Why we like it: A family-run vineyard producing world class wines, Fess Parker’s Pinot Noir  features flavors of Bing cherry, cranberry, sage, black currant, black raspberry, green peppercorn and a touch of vanilla.

Goose Bay Pinot Noir
Why We Like It: Pinot Noir is a lighter red, making it an easy pairing wine for some foods you might not think are typically red-friendly.

Visit your local Wine Country or Wine & Whiskey Country store and one of our Wine Pros will help you select the perfect Pinot Noir for you.