Pinot Noir Description

Pinot Noir Requires Advanced Tasting

While "Velvet Mistress" and "Liquid Seductress" are not your typical Pinot Noir descriptions, they are the type of remarks that lead one to believe there is so much more to Pinot than what you can find on a wine aroma wheel.

There are many tastes to Pinot Noir

Full-circle Wine Tasting

Tasting Pinot is not easy. There are so many nuances and complexities that you really have to delve into the wine and stretch your mind sometimes to find some of the aromas.

The interesting part about tasting Pinot Noir is that for many people, it’s where they started their red-wine trek — it’s the wine that they moved to after only drinking white wines. On the "drinkability" level, its lower tannins and lighter body made it a nice transition wine to go to, so it was a logical choice. Then from there they move to Merlot, then perhaps Syrah or Cabernet. After that, they circle back to Pinot Noir because, on a different level, it has more to offer than just the light body and softer tannins. For most wine professionals, Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France is the end-all be-all for wine drinking. Incidentally, the most expensive wine upon release is a Burgundy. For a mere $25,000 you too can own a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee Conti!

Correct Stemware

Before you find your own Pinot Noir description, it’s important to start out the right way — with correct stemware. You can buy a crystal bowl-shaped vessel that ranges in price from $5 to $95 or so and anywhere in between. Riedel makes a very good one—considered the industry standard — called the Burgundy Vinum series. It’s a large bowl so that when you swirl it around it coats a large surface area. On top of that, the bowl shape angles in so it concentrates the aroma to deliver it to your nose. To see what a difference the shape of the glass makes, take a normal day-to-day wine glass and a big Burgundy stem and pour the same wine into both and take a big sniff.

Don't Spend Too Much

So, you’ve got the correct stemware, you’ve got your notepad and paper to take notes, and now you’re ready. Wait…what do we put in the glass? Pinot you say…well, sure…but which one? While falling short of telling you how much to spend or not, I would just recommend that you not spend over $30 or so if this is your first attempt at trying to nail down some Pinot Noir descriptions. After you get a feel for Pinot, then move on and spend more money.

Pinot Noir Descriptions

So NOW you’re ready to go. Make sure the wine is not too warm or cold, (60-65 degrees is preferred), swirl it around the glass, and smell. Stick your nose in the glass — really get yourself into the wine and wrap your nostrils around it. Most of Pinot descriptions come from the nose (smell)…so most of your time spent on the wine will be smelling it, not tasting it. Here are some descriptions to help you out; but, remember that tasting wine is a personal experience and you may smell something not listed on the aroma wheel or on any “official” tasting documents. That is OK!:

• Dried fruits like cherry or cranberry
• Earthy—dusty, “forest floor”…even mushroom
• Leather
• Pencil shavings — that slight wood/lead aroma
• Cola — look for a flat cola aroma, sometimes cherry cola
• Mineral — the wet stone, chalky

There are so many more specific aromas, but on a whole these are good starters. Keep smelling the wine — it will change in the glass the longer it sits.

The Taste

Now it’s time to taste the wine. You sip, roll it around your tongue, let it sit on the palate and then swallow. So much is happening, but focus on the beginning of the wine, not how it finishes yet. After you write down some more descriptors, focus on the feel of the wine. Is it viscous? Is the alcohol prominent? Does the wine linger on the palate after you are done tasting? This is where the term “velvet” comes into play. Sometimes Pinot can take on a velvety texture and smoothness that brings the whole wine together. When this happens it makes tasting the wine so much more enjoyable. You savor every sip.

Keep At It!

After you have written these down, you can put the whole thing together. It’s not easy to do, I know. It takes hard work and concentration. Try some different Pinot Noir from different areas of the world and see if you can find a common theme from each. You may find that the “liquid seductress” seduced you and you become a lover of Pinot Noir! Enjoy!

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