Is Pinot Noir A Sweet or Dry Wine

A brief background of Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most popular red wines. But precisely what is Pinot Noir, and what makes it distinctive from other red wines? 

One of the oldest wine varieties on record, Pinot Noir, was first documented during the Roman Empire. It gained recognition and fame after dedicated monks from the Burgundy region of France devoted themselves to the Pinot Noir grape vines as an act of service to God.

The meticulous notes the monks documented about the effects of terroir (which includes location and soil) on the wine were the birth of winemaking as we know it today. 

And so we have Pinot Noir, a light-bodied red wine that is known for its cherry, strawberry, and raspberry flavors, as well as its spiced aromas, high acidity, gentle tannins, and smooth finish. It is a wonderful gateway into heavier red wines because it isn’t too bold or too tannic, but it’s also well-loved by seasoned wine lovers around the world for its intrigue and prestige.

The wine’s delicious berry flavors are complemented beautifully with subtle notes that can span a wide variety: ripe tomato, mushroom, earthy tastes, leather, gamey meat, vanilla, cinnamon, rosemary, peppermint, smoke, rhubarb, or green tea leaves. These nuances can also change from bottle to bottle depending on the winemakers’ decisions and whether that particular Pinot Noir is on the sweeter or drier side.

Pinot Noir is exceptionally difficult to make due to the delicate (or downright finicky, some may say) nature of the grapes.

Climates that are too cold or too warm cause the grapes to rot, lose their flavor, and/or discolor. The sparsely leafed vines provide little protection from insect or avian pests. Harvesting too early or too late can destroy the wine altogether.

Happy Pinot Noir grapes require an abundance of sunshine, cool breezes, and well-draining soil.

And when winemakers get it right, it’s a masterpiece.

Pinot Noir, whether sweet or dry, is a stunning canvas of wine—one that paints the terroir of its birth in soft, velvety strokes upon the palate of its drinkers. It is steeped in sophistication and mystique and provides a delightfully new wine-drinking experience each time.

But, since Pinot Noir is so representative of its birthplace and diverse in its expression, it might leave you wondering if there is indeed a commonality between Pinot Noirs in different regions. Or you might wonder if Pinot Noir is sweet or dry—or if it’s possible to have a Pinot Noir at every point of the red wine sweetness scale! 

The red wine sweetness scale

Any wine, be it Riesling or Cabernet, can be either dry or sweet. Let’s explore popular wines listed from dry to sweet.

The maker of wine determines its sweetness. Popular varietal wines and styles tend to share the same sweetness level. Wine sweetness ranges from virtually nothing to upwards of 70% sweetness

To better understand if Pinot Noir is sweet or dry, it would be helpful to see where it falls on the red wine sweetness scale. That way, you can see the differences between Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon vs Merlot and others and choose the best red wine for your tastes. 

Since wine ranges in sweetness, you have to do some research to figure out the actual residual sugar in a specific bottle. You can use wine tech sheets to find the exact number.

• Below 1% sweetness, wines are considered dry.
• Above 3% sweetness, wines taste “off-dry,” or semi-sweet.
• Wines above 5% sweetness are noticeably sweet!
• Dessert wines start at around 7–9% sweetness.
• By the way, 1% sweetness is equal to 10 g/L residual sugar (RS).
• 1% sweetness is a little less than 2 carbs per 5-ounce serving (~150 ml)

By the way, the average wine drinker can’t detect sweetness levels below 1.5%. Shocking right? That said, trained tasters can guesstimate sweetness within about 0.2%—this is totally learnable!

Is Pinot Noir a sweet or dry wine?

While it may not seem as dry as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Tempranillo at first taste, Pinot Noir is a dry wine by nature. 

A wine that is considered dry is a wine style that refers to any wine with less than 3% residual sugar. Wines with 3%–5% residual sugar would be referred to as “off-dry.”

You can think of the fermentation process as sugar + yeast = CO2 + alcohol.

Residual sugar is the sugar remaining after the yeast has converted the grape juice into alcohol.

When is Pinot Noir sweeter? 

Although we’ve said Pinot Noir is dry, dryness is a function of sugar. A winemaker could choose to alter the fermentation process by destroying the yeast before it finishes converting the sugar to alcohol, enhancing the sweetness. 

And that is one reason some Pinot Noirs are sweeter than others. 

Less residual sugar will make Pinot Noir lean into the very dry category, while more can make it downright sweet. In fact, there are some wonderful dessert wines made from Pinot Noir!