Pinot Noir Pairings

Pairing: 2009 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir

Bright acidity gives a lift to this red's earthy berry flavors.

Pairing: 2009 Handley Pinot Noir.

Pair this creamy soup with an affordable, compelling Pinot with crisp strawberry tones.

Pairing: 2009 Willamette Valley Vineyards Elton Pinot Noir

This aromatic roast is great with an equally aromatic Pinot Noir from Oregon, where cool nights concentrate the scents and flavors in the grapes.

Pairing: 2010 Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir

It's tough to make delicious Pinot at an affordable price, which is why this supple, tasty bottling is so impressive.

Pairng: 2010 Undurraga T.H. Pinot Noir.

Delicious, reasonably priced Pinot Noir isn't easy to find, but here is a great example, loaded with vibrant cherry flavors and delicate spice.

Pairing: 2009 Handley RSM Vineyard Pinot Noir

Released only in superb vintages, this lithe, spicy cuvée comes from a vineyard named for winemaker Milla Handley's late husband.

Pairing: 2010 La Crema Pinot Noir

It's tough to find good Sonoma Coast Pinot for less than $25; this delicious, red-fruit-infused bottling delivers.

Pairing: 2009 Erath Pinot Noir

This widely available red delivers supple, straightforward berry and spice flavors at an approachable price.

Pairing: 2010 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir

Made with seven different Pinot clones, this estate-grown wine shows an energetic, herbal edge.

Pairing: 2009 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir

Destemming grapes before they're crushed yields a bright, fruit-forward and intense Pinot Noir underscored by earthy notes of mushroom.

Pairing: 2010 Felton Road Calvert Vineyard Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir from New Zealand, especially the Marlborough region, often has a slight smokiness that goes well with grilled seafood.

Pairing: 2010 Villa Maria Estate Cellar Selection Pinot Noir

Typical of Marlborough Pinot Noir, this showcases fresh, sweet berry and herb tones.

Pairing: 2010 Spy Valley Pinot Noir

Supple and satisfying, this mouth-filling cherry-scented Pinot gets finesse from extra-gentle fermentations, with grapes punched down by hand.

Pairing: 2009 Seresin Leah Pinot Noir

Seresin blends eight different Pinot parcels to create this seductive red, full of heady aromatics and silky tannins.

Pairing: 2009 Flowers Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir

This spectacular Pinot is loaded with fragrant wild berry and mineral tones framed by silky tannins.

Pairing: 2010 St. Innocent Villages Cuvée Pinot Noir

Vintner Mark Vlossak makes this introductory, multivineyard blend from young and mature vines; it's tangy and elegant.

Pairing: 2008 Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir

This spicy, dark and fruity red comes from some of New Zealand's oldest Pinot Noir vines.

Pairing: 2009 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir

While the mushrooms need a red wine, the goat cheese goes best with a wine that has plenty of acidity. A Pinot Noir from Oregon is an ideal choice for both.

Pairing: 2009 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Warmer inland vineyards yield the lusciously ripe, dark fruit and opulent texture that typify the Merry Edwards style.