For every meal and occasion, there's a wine to match. Sparkling wines are for celebrating and refreshing your palate, cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel elevate your hearty steak dinner, and crisp pinot grigio enhance a a cool plate of oysters.  However, one wine out there walks the line and offers versatility like no other. It pairs with light seafood and rich red meat alike. It can even be chilled to refresh you on a warm day. Enter Pinot Noir.

What Is Pinot Noir, and Where Does It Come From?

Pinot Noir is a black-skinned grape that comes from the Frech word for "pine" — due to the pine cone shape of its grape clusters — and "noir," referring to its skin color. 

Pinot Noir's origins are debated, but it grew and matured into the finely curated grape it is today in France, thriving in regions such as Burgundy, Champagne, and Alsace. Cultivated over a hundred years ago by Cistercian monks in the Burgundy region, Pinot Noir is now one of France's oldest grapes.

However, the French couldn't keep this gem of the wine world to themselves forever. Pinot Noir is now considered an international grape and grows worldwide. Notably, the Willamette Valley in Oregon has done excellent work with this grape, with notable AVAs in California naturally keeping pace along with New Zealand's Martinborough and Central Otago regions. Even Argentina has emerged with some unique takes.

What Are the Characteristics of Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is known for its bright acidity, rich fruit flavors, and delicate texture. It also isn't overwhelming with its alcohol, offering an ABV typically between 12–14%.

Pinot Noir is also a sensitive grape. It's challenging to grow because the skin on the grape is very thin, making it vulnerable to varying temperatures and possible sunburn. Thin skin also means the Pinot Noir grape is more susceptible to rot, fungus, and other harmful external factors. 

Cool climates are what help Pinot Noir develop its enervating acidity and delicate, light body. When grown in slightly warmer temperatures, it develops a medium-body and stronger alcohol content — though never as strong as zinfandel.

How To Drink Pinot Noir

The first rule of drinking any wine is to drink it how you enjoy it. However, if you want to get the most out of your Pinot Noir, then there are a few things you'll want to know.

• Serve it in a wide-bowled glass.
• Store it in a cool, dark place.
• Serving at too high a temperature will dull its flavor profile.
• Unfinished bottles should be recorked and stored in the refrigerator.
• Its serving temperature varies between light-bodied and full-bodied Pinot Noirs.

A wide-bowled glass that narrows at the top will help you enjoy Pinot Noir's rich aromas while you enjoy it. Additionally, storing your most prized Pinot Noir in a climate-controlled environment will help prevent it from prematurely aging. 

Should Pinot Noir Be Chilled?

Another critical factor in how to drink Pinot Noir is the temperature at which you serve it. While most people serve red wine at or slightly below room temperature, Pinot Noir is better when cooled. 

The reason for this is that as an alcoholic beverage's temperature rises, the flavor of its alcohol becomes more prominent and its structure softens. High temperatures dull other flavors in alcoholic beverages. This is true for cocktails, beer, and especially wine. 

With Pinot Noir's delicate bouquet and lighter structure, it can benefit from a slightly lower temp than other more structured reds. Chilling Pinot Noir prevents the alcohol from taking over, and allows your palate to focus more on flavor structure. This will vary based on the weight and structure of your Pinot Noir, but generally, Pinot Noir should be served between 55–65°F. 

The nuance here isn't as difficult to grasp as you might think. Do you have a rich, medium-bodied Pinot Noir aged in new French oak? You can chill your Pinot Noir closer to 65°F. However, if you're serving a light-bodied Pinot Noir, then that means it was grown in a cooler climate and will do best when returned to those temperatures; chill it closer to 55°F.

How To Chill Pinot Noir

So, should Pinot Noir be chilled? Science says yes. First, you'll want to chill your wine by laying the bottle horizontally. Laying the bottle horizontally will cool your wine 50% faster than propping it up vertically.

How much time will you need? It takes about an hour and a half to chill a bottle of wine from 70°F to 50°F in your refrigerator. However, you can speed up that time if you use the freezer — just don't forget to get it out in about 30 minutes or you'll have frozen pinot.

Some have argued that wrapping the bottle in a damp towel helps to speed up the process. The logic here is that we put a damp towel on our foreheads on a hot day or when we have a fever — why wouldn't it help here, too? But, research has shown that this only works in intense conditions, such as a commercial-grade blast freezer. Because the air in your freezer is primarily stagnant, the wet towel will actually insulate your wine bottle.

Find The Perfect Pinot Noir

The perfect Pinot Noir experience starts with finding a superb bottle grown in one of the world's best wineries. JJ Buckley curates its offerings by hiring top wine experts to select superlative wines from all over the world. We also offer unique wine consultation and professional storage, so you get the most out of your wine.

Find your perfect Pinot Noir with JJ Buckley.