The most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic
Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon
Pinot is a fantastic wine, but a temperamental grape. With its rich color and complex flavors, it is largely considered one of the most hedonistic wines ever made. Elegant and berry-lie, its velvet flavor is the perfect addition to any affair. Pinot Noir Day celebrates this wine and the regions of the world in which it’s cultivated.
History of Pinot Noir Day
Every wine deserves to have a day dedicated to its consumption, and none more so than Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is so named due to the dark color of the grapes, and the pine-cone-shaped clusters they grow in on the vine. Showing a strong preference for cooler climates, the grape of the same name is grown primarily in Burgundy, France, though Willamette Valley, Oregon in the USA, and Walker Bay region of South Africa both produce notably large crops. Of course, cultivating Pinot Noir is not a task for the faint of heart, for these grapes are difficult to cultivate and tricky to turn into wine.
Perhaps that’s appropriate for a wine that is both rich and complex. The skin of the grapes is thin and doesn’t offer the protection of thicker-skinned grapes, and can be finicky during the aging process, frequently being uneven and unpredictable. The tight clusters require careful management lest rot is set in, and this often involves careful management of the canopy.
For those who are willing to brave it and cultivate the skill, the wine that is produced is beyond measure.
5 COOL FACTS ABOUT PINOT NOIR
- It is known as the Heartbreak Grape
- Pinot Noir literally means ‘black pine’
- It has French roots
- It is a cool grape
- It is the most highly-priced varietal in the world
