You may or may not know that Pinot Noir is one of my favourite grapes and you may well associate the word “Pinot” with some of your favourite wines, but do you know what it means?
To understand everything Pinot, let’s define it, recount the history of this legendary grape and analyse some of the delicious vino it yields.
Pinot defined
The word Pinot comes from the French term for “pine cone,” but what does that have to do with grapes?
If you take a close look at a cluster of a sumptuous and juicy Pinot variety on the vine, you will quickly see that its grapes bunch together in a tight, pine cone-like shape.
Diving further into vino linguistics, you will also notice that each Pinot wine comes with a descriptor: Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, etc.
Each of these descriptors refers to the colour of a specific type of Pinot, as this variety can vary widely in hue.
In French, Pinot Noir means “black pine cone,” Pinot Blanc means “white pine cone” and Pinot Gris means “gray pine cone” — though this grape’s colour actually falls somewhere between gray, blue and purple.
In Italian, Pinot Grigio also roughly translates to “gray pine cone,” keeping the French prefix and substituting in the Italian word for “gray.” Similarly, Pinot Bianco is the Italian version of Pinot Blanc.
While it may be more challenging to pronounce, it is also worth noting “Grauburgunder,” the German word for Pinot Gris/Grigio, “Spätburgunder,” the German word for Pinot Noir and “Weissburgunder,” the German word for Pinot Blanc.
History of Pinot Wines
If you find the linguistic intricacies of Pinot-based wines fascinating, the history of these wines is even more intriguing.
While the most prevalent variation, Pinot Noir, originated in the Gaul regions, which would become modern-day France, widespread production of Pinot Noir wine began later in the 1st century.
At this time, the Ancient Romans controlled Gaul, and they took inspiration from native Pinot Noir grapes to create a version of the wine with distinct personality and flavour that became wildly popular as it spread throughout the world.
While Pinot Gris also originated in France, its popularity came about many centuries later in the Middle Ages.
After centuries as a mostly French delicacy, this vino spread to other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland, in the 1300s. This migration introduced the wine to a larger audience and eventually led to the development of Italy’s take: Pinot Grigio.
Lastly, Pinot Blanc, another wine of French origin, has an unknown date of birth but first rose to prominence in 1896 when leaders of the French wine industry deemed it a grape suitable for mass production and blending.
Though Pinot Blanc was primarily a blending wine for years, recent decades saw the white grow in popularity outside its native France as an affordable, high-quality alternative to Chardonnay.
Different Types of Pinot Wines to Try
Let’s dive into the most popular Pinot wines to help you find the best varietal for your next meal or special occasion.
Pinot Noir
Wine lovers worldwide cherish Pinot Noir as an easy-to-drink red with an approachable structure and an excellent flavour profile that pairs well with various meals.
This dry vino is famous for its relatively low tannin levels, prominent acidity and light-to-medium body, subverting some potentially abrasive qualities of red wine for a smooth drinking experience.
This charming structure may seem simple, but it belies a wonderful core.
Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio
These both come from the same grape, but each offers a slightly divergent personality that separates it from the other.
Pinot Gris originated in modern-day Burgundy, France, but is now primarily produced in the country’s Alsace region.
This cherished, dry white wine is relatively medium-bodied with medium-to-high acidity and features a lovely medley of tropical, stone and citrus fruit flavours that harmonize with nuttiness and hints of sweet spice.
Pinot Grigio originally hails from Italy, and its personality and flavor profile serve as a lovely, albeit similar, alternative to its French counterpart.
This crisp white is drier and lighter than the Gris, with a light, refreshing body and prominent acidity highlighting its stone, tropical and citrus fruitiness, gentle spiciness, minerality and floral notes of honeysuckle.
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc is another originally French white making a name for itself on the global wine stage.
Often unfairly compared to Chardonnay, this vino maintains a distinct personality that mixes desirable qualities of other French whites with a distinct personality.
In a delicious bottle of Pinot Blanc or Pinot Bianco, as it is known in Italy, you will find a somewhat dry vino with a light body and medium acidity that are approachable for wine lovers of all backgrounds.
You will also discover a fresh, lovely balance of creamy stone fruit flavors, subtle spice, floral undertones, gentle hints of nuttiness and earthy notes of stone.
Though this wine may not be as quintessential as its iconic French counterparts, it is certainly worth a try at its typically affordable price point.
Now that you better understand the wonderful world of Pinot, have a look round the Flunder Wines website to see if our Pinots tickle your fancy.