Pinot Noir Pairings
Wild Mushroom and Burrata Bruschetta
Pairing: 2009 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir
Bright acidity gives a lift to this red's earthy berry flavors.
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Red Kuri Squash Soup
Pairing: 2009 Handley Pinot Noir.
Pair this creamy soup with an affordable, compelling Pinot with crisp strawberry tones.
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Fennel-Garlic Pork Roast
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.
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Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts
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.
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Vegan Enchiladas
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.
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Roasted Goose with Crispy Skin
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.
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Roast Brined Chicken with Raisin and Pine Nut Agrodolce
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.
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Leek-and-Pecorino Pizzas
Pairing: 2009 Erath Pinot Noir
This widely available red delivers supple, straightforward berry and spice flavors at an approachable price.
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Smoky Glazed Ham with Red Pepper
Pairing: 2010 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir
Made with seven different Pinot clones, this estate-grown wine shows an energetic, herbal edge.
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Bruschetta
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.
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Grilled Squid and Torpedo Onions with Sorrel
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.
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Green-Lentil Curry
Pairing: 2010 Villa Maria Estate Cellar Selection Pinot Noir
Typical of Marlborough Pinot Noir, this showcases fresh, sweet berry and herb tones.
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Whole Wheat Rigatoni with Roasted Vegetables
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.
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Provençal Vegetable Tart
Pairing: 2009 Seresin Leah Pinot Noir
Seresin blends eight different Pinot parcels to create this seductive red, full of heady aromatics and silky tannins.
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Fresh Fettuccine with Chicken-Liver Sauce
Pairing: 2009 Flowers Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir
This spectacular Pinot is loaded with fragrant wild berry and mineral tones framed by silky tannins.
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Stir-Fried Five-Spice Pork with Lettuce Cups
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.
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Maple-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Mustard Jus
Pairing: 2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir
Estate-grown grapes impart cherry-driven juiciness and spice.
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Grilled Quail with Goji Berries and Pine Nuts
Pairing: 2008 Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir
This spicy, dark and fruity red comes from some of New Zealand's oldest Pinot Noir vines.
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Ziti with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese
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.
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Meat-Stuffed Cabbage Cakes
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.