Red wine is a popular, highly rated, and frequently collected wine. Who doesn’t love a sophisticated red wine? It is known that your palate can evolve and change over time, so if you are in a red wine phase (or not a phase), you are in the right place. 

  

Pinot Noir is French and has an acidic berry and spicy flavor. It has an alcohol percentage of 12-15% and pairs well with light meats, salmon, and herbs. Shiraz is also French and tastes like blueberry and blackberry. It pairs well with burgers and BBQ ribs and has 13-15.5% alcohol.

 

Studies have shown that drinking a moderate amount of wine, especially red wine, can benefit your heart and circulatory system. If this fact resonates with you, read on to see whether your next meal should be paired with Pinot Noir or Shiraz.

 

How Are Pinot Noir And Shiraz Different?

Pinot Noir and Shiraz differ in many ways, such as their origins, taste, pairings, and serving suggestions. Carry on scrolling to find out everything you need to know about the two wines.

 

What Are The Origins Of Pinot Noir And Shiraz?

Pinot Noir has French origins and is made from the species Vitis vinifera, a black wine grape. These grapes were first cultivated by Burgundy’s Cistercian monks more than a century ago. As this wine is quite difficult to grow, and its increase in popularity, Pinot Noir can be expensive.

 

Pinot Noir wine is collected because of its elegance and age-worthiness and the Burgundy vineyards’ prestige.

 

Currently, many countries besides France produce exceptional Pinot Noir, such as Switzerland, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, and the United States. Due to its widespread popularity, this wine is classified as an international variety.

 

Shiraz is also referred to as Syrah, a wine of the red grape variety found in France. In regions with cooler climates, Winemakers refer to this wine as Syrah, such as in the Rhône Valley in France, California, and Sonoma Coast. Shiraz typically comes from warmer regions such as South Australia.

 

When growing the grapes to make Shiraz, the difference in climate and soil can change its flavor from acidic and savory to lush and fruity. 

 

What Is The Taste Of Pinot Noir And Shiraz?

Pinot Noir has multifaceted flavors ranging from cherry and raspberry, to mushroom and forest floor, to vanilla and baking spice if the grapes are aged in French oak. This kind of wine is light to medium-bodied and dry, with bright acidity and silky tannins.

 

Some winemakers age their wine in brand new French oak for a fuller and more textured wine. However, the taste of Pinot Noir can vary when produced in a different climate and on the style of the producer.

 

In a cooler climate, the wine is likely to be more light-bodied and delicate, whereas a warmer climate will produce a Pinot Noir with a higher alcohol percentage and a fuller-bodied and riper flavor.

 

When it comes to Shiraz drinkers, they usually look for something bold and full-bodied. This wine has a ruby-purple hue and is opaque, most commonly with flavors of blueberry and blackberry. Shiraz has a concentrated aroma of jam and ripe tannins.

 

Shiraz has another characteristic of its meaty notes of bacon and beef jerky and black pepper.

 

Is The Alcohol Percentage Of Pinot Noir And Shiraz Different?

With Pinot Noir, the climate largely affects ripeness, which affects the alcohol content. In a cooler climate like France and Germany, the alcohol percentage of Pinot Noir is between 12 and 13.5%. However, if you look at a warmer region such as Australia, the alcohol volume is 13.5 to 15%.

 

The alcohol level of Shiraz can also differ according to where it is grown and the weather during the year that it is harvested. As with Pinot Noir, a cooler region will have a lower alcohol percentage, and if it is a wet and cold vintage.

 

Therefore, in an area like France, the alcohol percentage of Shiraz is about 13 or 14% but can reach up to 15.5% in a warmer climate or hotter vintage such as South Australia.

 

Because Shiraz has a longer oak aging time, the alcohol levels tend to be higher than Pinot Noir. In addition to this, the Shiraz grapes usually hang longer on the vines.

 

What Pairs Well With Pinot Noir Compared To Shiraz?

Pinot Noir pairs best with light meats like chicken, pork, turkey, or lighter red meats such as duck and lamb. These pairings complement the fruity flavors and elegant style of the wine.

 

Stronger flavored fish (like salmon) also goes well with Pinot Noir, as do herbs and earthy vegetables (such as thyme and mushrooms) to bring out the savory flavor of the wine. It is especially recommended to include these flavors in risotto or pasta!

 

Pinot Noir should not be paired with dense and rich foods as they can overpower the delicacy of the wine.

 

The fruitier, easy-drinking Shiraz wines pair well with burgers and BBQ ribs. If you have a richer and more full-bodied Shiraz, you should eat roasted or braised meat such as grilled beef and lamb.

 

Shiraz produced in cooler climates (Syrah) goes better with veal, game stews, mushrooms, and pasta with meat ragu. These pairs will bring out the dark fruits and earthy flavors.

 

How Must Pinot Noir And Shiraz Be Served?

Pinot Noir should be served at between 55- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit. A lighter, more delicate, and fresh wine should be served closer the 55 degrees, whereas a fuller-bodied Pinot Noir can be served at 65 degrees.

 

If a Pinot Noir bottle is not finished in one sitting, the cork should be replaced, and the bottle should be placed into the refrigerator. The wine will begin to oxidize after three days, so drink it before then!

 

As Shiraz has a higher alcohol content, it should be served slightly chilled; otherwise, the flavors will be dull, and the alcohol will taste hot. However, the wine should not be too cold, or the flavors and aromas will be muted.

 

Shiraz should therefore be served at a temperature of between 60- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit – best achieved after being in the refrigerator for around 15 minutes.

 

If a bottle of Shiraz is not finished in one sitting, then the cork should be replaced, and the bottle should be placed in the refrigerator. After four days, the wine will begin oxidizing, so the wine should be finished before that stage.

 

Summary Of The Differences Between Pinot Noir And Shiraz

	Pinot Noir	Shiraz
Origin	Burgundy, France	Rhône Valley, France
Taste	Cherry, raspberry, mushroom, forest floor, vanilla, baking spice	Blueberry, blackberry, black pepper
Alcohol percentage	12-15%	13-15.5%
Pairing	Light meats, lighter red meats, salmon, herbs, earthy vegetables	Burgers, BBQ ribs, grilled beef, lamb
Serving	55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit	60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit

Conclusion

While there are a few similarities between Pinot Noir and Shiraz (the most obvious that they originate from France), they vary in taste, alcohol percentage, pairings, and how they should be served.

 

As a red wine lover, the next time you aren’t sure what to serve at a dinner party, you can refer to the summary table above to help make your decision. Good luck!