Is Pinot Noir Sweet?
By Bordeaux Brian for Pair It & Share It · Published
BOTTOM LINE
No — nearly all Pinot Noir is dry, meaning it has little or no sugar left in it. It can taste fruity, with cherry and raspberry flavors, and that fruitiness is often mistaken for sweetness. If you want a red that's light, smooth and not heavy, Pinot Noir is a great choice.
Quick decision
- Riper, juicier fruit→ California or Oregon Pinot Noir
- Lighter and more earthy→ French Burgundy or New Zealand Pinot Noir
- Actually want sweet red→ Look for 'sweet red', Lambrusco amabile or Brachetto
Fruity is not the same as sweet
Sweetness means there's sugar in the wine. Fruitiness means it smells and tastes like fruit. Pinot Noir has plenty of fruit flavor but almost no sugar, so your nose says 'sweet' while your tongue says 'dry'.
What Pinot Noir tastes like
Light to medium body, soft tannin and fresh acidity. Common flavors are cherry, raspberry, strawberry and sometimes mushroom or earth in cooler regions.
Who usually likes it
If big, heavy reds feel like too much, Pinot Noir is often the red that wins people over. It also pairs with more foods than most reds — salmon, chicken, mushrooms and turkey.
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About the author. Bordeaux Brian brings more than 30 years of wine experience and firsthand experience in vineyards and wine regions around the world. His focus is practical: helping people make better wine decisions without the intimidation.