What is Pinot Noir?
Pinot Noir is a light-bodied red wine grape that tastes like cherry, raspberry and strawberry with a little earthiness, and it's smooth, low in tannin and one of the most food-friendly reds there is.
Pinot Noir is the red for people who think they don't like red. It's lighter, softer and more see-through than Cabernet or Malbec, with bright red fruit instead of heavy dark fruit. It's also famously fussy to grow, which keeps prices up.
- Tastes like
- Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, mushroom, a little spice
- Sweetness
- Dry (some California ones taste jammy)
- Where it's from
- Burgundy, France; Oregon; California coast; New Zealand
- Price range
- About $15–30 for good bottles
- Serve at
- Slightly cool, 55–60°F (20 minutes in the fridge)
- Bodylight → big
- Sweetnessdry → sweet
- Zingsoft → zippy
- Gripsmooth → grippy
What Pinot Noir tastes like
Red fruit first: cherry, raspberry, cranberry, strawberry. Then the subtle stuff, like a forest-floor earthiness, mushroom or a little clove. It's silky rather than grippy because it's low in tannin, the drying feeling bigger reds leave in your mouth.
California Pinot tends to be riper and jammier, sometimes tasting like cherry cola. Oregon and French Pinot are leaner, tangier and earthier.
Where it comes from
The home of Pinot Noir is Burgundy, France, where red Burgundy is almost always 100% Pinot. In the US, look for Oregon's Willamette Valley and California's cooler coastal spots like Sonoma Coast, Russian River and Santa Barbara. New Zealand makes juicy, affordable ones too.
How to pick a bottle
Cheap Pinot is hard to do well, so under about $12 you'll often get something thin or oddly sweet. The sweet spot is $15–25. Want it rich and smooth? Go California. Want it lighter and earthier? Go Oregon.
If a bottle says 'Bourgogne Rouge', that's entry-level red Burgundy, a great way to try the French style without spending much.
What to eat with it
Pinot is the Thanksgiving wine for a reason. It works with turkey, salmon, duck, roast chicken, mushrooms and pork without overpowering any of them. It's the safe red when people order different things at dinner.
Pinot Noir to try
Meiomi Pinot Noir
about $22Pinot NoirGood buy
Plush, jammy and super smooth. Not classic Pinot, but wildly easy to like.
La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
about $25Pinot NoirDrink this one
More true to the grape: bright cherry, a little earth, nice balance.
Bread & Butter Pinot Noir
about $15Pinot NoirGood buy
Soft and fruity with a hint of vanilla. A good under-$15 starter.
Mark West Pinot Noir
about $11Pinot Noir
One of the few decent Pinots around $10. Light, cherry-forward, easy.
Keep reading
- What is a light red wine?
- What is dry red wine?
- Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon: what's the difference?
- Pinot Noir vs Merlot: what's the difference?
- What wine goes with salmon?
- What wine goes with turkey?
Last checked 2026-10-11.