The effects of the region on Pinot Noir sweetness Whether it’s because of a slight change in the amount of residual sugar or the unique flavor components specific to a region or vineyard, there many factors can influence the taste of each individual bottle of Pinot Noir. So, yes, some Pinot Noirs may offer the perception of sweetness more than other red wines, but that does not make it a sweet wine. Rest assured, although it may smell sweet, this doesn’t change the taste of your Pinot Noir. If you open a new bottle to be greeted with a pleasant waft of sweet cherry, strawberry, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, clove, and mint, you may become confused about whether your Pinot Noir is truly dry or sweet. Some of the perceived sweetness in Pinot Noir may also come from the aroma. If it was too sweet, you would miss out on many of the nuances of flavor the texture and tannins bring out in the wine. The lack of residual sugar in a dry Pinot Noir serves to balance the ripe fruit flavors of this beautiful red wine. Generally speaking, though, you will find Pinot Noir in the dry red categories. In fact, there are some wonderful dessert wines made from Pinot Noir!Īs you can see, the answer to the question “is Pinot Noir a sweet or dry wine” isn’t so easily answered. Less residual sugar will make Pinot Noir lean into the very dry category while more can make it downright sweet. And a winemaker could choose to alter the fermentation process by destroying the yeast before it finishes converting the sugar to alcohol, enhancing the sweetness.Īnd that is one reason some Pinot Noirs are sweeter than others. When is Pinot Noir sweeter?Īlthough we’ve said Pinot Noir is dry, dryness is a function of sugar. You can think of the fermentation process as sugar + yeast = CO2 + alcohol.Īnd residual sugar is the sugar remaining after the yeast has converted the grape juice into alcohol. Wines with 3% – 5% residual sugar would be referred to as “off-dry.” Wine that is considered dry, is a wine style that refers to any wine with less than 3% residual sugar. While it may not seem as dry as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Tempranillo at first taste, Pinot Noir is a dry wine by nature. That way you can see the differences between Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon vs Merlot and others – and choose the best red wine for your tastes.Īs you can see, though its tannins are smooth and its body is light, Pinot Noir rests squarely in the dry red wine category.īut what does that mean for a wine, and what makes a wine dry in nature? If Pinot Noir is considered dry in general, could there also be sweeter versions of it? To better understand if Pinot Noir is sweet or dry, it would be helpful to see where it falls on the red wine sweetness scale. Let’s discover how to compare Pinot Noir to other red wine varietals. Or you might wonder if Pinot Noir is sweet or dry – or if it’s possible to have a Pinot Noir along every point of the red wine sweetness scale! It is steeped in sophistication and mystique that provides a delightfully new wine drinking experience each time.īut, since Pinot Noir is so representative of its birthplace and diverse in its expression, it might leave you wondering if there is indeed a commonality between Pinot Noirs in different regions. Pinot Noir, whether sweet or dry, is a stunning canvas of wine – one that paints the terroir of its birth in soft, velvety strokes upon the palate of its drinkers. Happy Pinot Noir grapes require an abundance of sunshine, cool breezes, and well-draining soil.Īnd, when winemakers get it right, it’s a masterpiece. And harvesting too early or too late can destroy the wine altogether. The sparsely leafed vines provide little protection for insect or avian pests. Pinot Noir is exceptionally difficult to make, due to the delicate (or downright finicky, some may say) nature of Pinot Noir grapes.Ĭlimates that are too cold or too warm cause the grapes to rot, lose their flavor, and/or discolor. These nuances can also change from bottle to bottle depending on the winemakers’ decisions and if that particular Pinot Noir is on the sweeter or drier side. The wine’s delicious berry flavors are complemented beautifully with subtle notes that can span a wide variety: ripe tomato, mushroom, earthy tastes, leather, gamey meat, vanilla, cinnamon, rosemary, peppermint, smoke, rhubarb, or green tea leaves. It is a wonderful gateway into heavier red wines because it isn’t too bold or too tannic, but it’s also well-loved by seasoned wine lovers around the world for its intrigue and prestige. And so we have Pinot Noir: a light-bodied red wine that is known for its cherry, strawberry, and raspberry flavors, as well as its spiced aromas, high acidity, gentle tannins, and smooth finish.
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