Pinot Noir

[pernoski]

I know the English translation of "noir" is black ~ but what does "Pinot" mean? Or is it a type of grape? Thanks for your help!

[Innkeeper]

Hi Pernoski, and welcome to the Wine Board. Pinot is a family of grapes, both red and white. Pinot noir is the most famous of the group. It is the grape in the famous red wines of Burgundy. It is hard to grow, but does well in a few special places around the world including parts of California, Oregon, and New Zealand. Little brother is pinot meunier. Meunier is almost exclusively used as a blending grape in Champagne or other sparkling wines.

The whites are pinot gris and pinot blanc. Pinot gris is very widely grown, carrying its French name in Alsace and America, particulaly in Oregon. It is know famously as Pinot Grigio in Italy, and lately, also in the U.S. In parts of Germany it is know as Grauburgunder. It other parts and in Austria it is Rulander. In Switzerland it is Malvoisie. In Hungary it is Szurkebarat.

Pinot blanc is also widely grown. It does best in Alsace. It Italy it is Pinot Bianco. It is also doing very well currently in British Columbia, were quality may soon challange Alsace.

What does Pinot mean? Haven't got the foggiest. If you hear someone ask simply for "pinot", that is the wine snob's way saying pinot noir.