Hang about, isn’t pinot noir a red wine? Now we’re telling you it’s a rosé wine? We get it: pinot noir is one versatile grape, that’s why you’ll find it in red wines, white wines, sparkling wines and yep, rosé wines. Learn everything you need to know about this pretty pink drop.
Look, in the same way you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (although we all do), you’re not supposed to judge a wine by its looks – it’s what’s inside the bottle that counts. Honestly, we make an exception for rosé wine because it looks. So. Darn. Pretty.
If those blush hues aren’t enough to convince you to spend your hard-earned dollars on a bottle, you’ll be glad to know its beauty isn’t only skin deep. Pinot noir rosé is a delicious, crisp, refreshing, low sugar dry wine. Find out more about this wine, including where it’s produced and what to pair it with for the ultimate hot-day treat.
What is pinot noir rosé wine?
Well, it’s er, rosé made from pinot noir grapes. You can stop reading now if you want, we won’t be offended.
For readers who like a little more detail, we got you. Pinot noir grapes are some of the most versatile wine grapes. As well as being used to make rosé, they’re used for red and white wine. Heck, pinot noir is even one of the three grapes of champagne.
Although it’s a popular grape for rosé, it’s not the only one. You’ll find grenache and zinfandel, among other grapes, in rosé.
Rosé of pinot noir grapes tastes fruity – you should especially be able to pick out notes of strawberry, pomegranate, citrus and cherry. It’s known for its bright acidity and crisp delicacy, making it the ideal hot-day drink.
Pinot noir rosé is also among the most low sugar wines out there, with around 3g of sugar per serving. If you think rosé is a sweet wine, think again: pinot noir rosé is deliciously dry.
Where is pinot noir rosé made?
Pinot noir grapes need cool climates with lots of rain – but not too much as they can be prone to mould and bacteria which can flourish in rainy spots. They need some sun too – but not too much as this can burn their delicate skin. This makes pinot noir grapes notoriously difficult to grow.
Thankfully, some regions are well-suited to meet all these grapes’ (picky) needs, including:
- The USA – Napa Valley, Willamette Valley (Oregon) and Russian River Valley (Sonoma County).
- France – Burgundy, Loire Valley, Provence.
- New Zealand – central Otago.
- Germany – Pfalz.
Pinot noir rosé food pairings
Your bottle of pinot noir rosé wine is chilling in the fridge and it’s time to do it justice with the perfect food pairing. Here’s what you should serve pinot noir rosé with:
- Thyme-roasted chicken. The flavours in pinot noir rosé bring out the best in certain spices, especially greener spices like thyme. Thyme, in turn, brings out the sweetness of the wine for the ultimate pairing. While the delicacy of roasted chicken won’t overpower the wine.
- Cheese, especially goat’s cheese or gouda. Whether you whip up a summer-friendly salad or serve alongside crackers, the creaminess of cheese will work wonders on the bright acidity of this dry wine.
- Seafood, like trout, salmon or crab. These light, delicate flavours pair beautifully with the wine’s fruity sweetness.
Asparagus and edamame beans can both accentuate the crisp, refreshing taste of pinot noir rosé.
I can offer you articles and information about wine from a seasoned sommelier, and now a winemaker too! I hope that you enjoy some of our articles, and start thinking outside of the box when it comes to wine.
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