Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a light red wine. It's low in tannin, so it doesn't dry your mouth out the way a big Cabernet can. Expect red cherry and raspberry, with something earthy underneath.

The grape is fussy about heat, which is exactly why Canada suits it. Cool nights in Niagara, Prince Edward County and the Okanagan slow the ripening down and hold the acidity in. That's what gives Canadian Pinot its freshness.

Almost none of it reaches a liquor board shelf, so the winery ships it to you directly.
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Why Pinot Noir is hard to grow

The skin is thin, the vine buds early, and one wet week at the wrong moment can wreck a block. Growers put up with it because nothing else tastes quite like it. Few places in Canada ripen it reliably, so the bottles here come from a short list of regions.

Where it ripens in Canada

Niagara has the most bottles on this page. Its cooler, lake-moderated sites keep the fruit lean instead of jammy. See the wider Niagara Peninsula range, or VQA Ontario for sub-appellation details. Prince Edward County runs leaner still. The Okanagan, around Naramata and Summerland, tends toward riper, rounder fruit.

Pinot Noir, Gamay or Cabernet Franc?

Next to a big Cabernet Sauvignon, all three feel light, and you will find them in our red wine range. Gamay is the lightest and juiciest, all crunchy red berries. Pinot Noir sits in the middle, silkier and more savoury. Cabernet Franc has more grip and a leafy edge, which suits grilled meat. Can't pick? Order one of each from dry red wine and taste them side by side.

Is Canadian Pinot Noir ever made into sparkling wine?

Yes. Traditional-method bottles here blend Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, or use it almost alone as a Blanc de Noir. Both age on the lees for roughly two and a half to three years before disgorging, the same slow method Champagne uses.

What's a fair price for a bottle?

Most run $25 to $45. Single-vineyard bottlings can climb past $70. Pinot yields are small and the vines are fussy, so a very cheap bottle usually tastes it.

What food goes with it?

Roast duck or maple-glazed salmon both work, and so does mushroom risotto if you're skipping meat. Pour it a touch below room temperature, around 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. Warmer than that and the alcohol starts to push past the fruit.