Let’s Go, Pinot!
By Karen Wright, Savvy Sommelier
Pinot Noir is an absolute classic red to pair with a Thanksgiving feast and a go-to for many of the Savvy sommeliers at this time of year. Thanks to its refreshing nature, medium light body, and low tannins along with that classic pop of red berry flavours, you’ll find Pinot Noir to be the perfect foil for a rich Thanksgiving meal.
While its roots are firmly planted in its ancestral home in Burgundy, France, this variety is considered grape royalty by winemakers around the world and it has found success in many cool to moderately cool climate growing areas such as Oregon’s Willamette Valley, New Zealand’s Central Otago and right here in Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment, Prince Edward County and Carp Ridge in the Ottawa Valley all have the limestone-rich soils and the cooler climate this fresh beauty prefers.
In the glass, the colour of Pinot Noir ranges from bright cherry juice to dark ruby. The warmer the climate, the bolder the colour, and the flavours will shift from cranberry, sour cherry and wild strawberry over to raspberry, dark cherry and clove spice. In France and Ontario, expect red fruit to shine along with some wonderful earthy notes of mushroom and dried leaves plus elegant minerality… perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!
Savvy Wicked Wine subscribers recently received the 2019 Small Lots Pinot Noir made by Pinot Noir superstar, Rosehall Run, to celebrate their 20th Anniversary this year. Most of the wine was aged in two-year-old oak barrels, but some was aged in special stainless steel barrels fitted with cherry wood. Your glass will fill with scents of cherry, mushroom, beets and violets – and on the palate, cherry and cranberry burst forward, complemented by silky tannins and the perfect level of acidity.
The Savvy Team is wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Sommelier Pro Tip:
Chill Pinot Noir for 15-20 mins before serving.