Pairings | Highlight

The best food pairings for Pinot Noir

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on August 18 2025 at 10:35

Pinot noir is one of the most versatile red wines to match with food and a great option in a restaurant when one of you is eating meat and the other fish.

There are ingredients that will pair with practically any pinot noir, for example, it’s a classic wine match for duck. Pinot can also pair well with salmon or tuna, depending on the way you’ve cooked them and the style of pinot you’re drinking.

Here are some food pairings for different styles of pinot noir, most of which (barring the mature pinots) should be served cool or chilled:

Light, fresh pinots

Such as: inexpensive red burgundy, Alsace pinot noir and other less expensive pinots, especially from poor vintages

Good pairings: Charcuterie, ham and other cold meats. Patés and terrines. classic French dishes with light creamy sauces such as rabbit or kidneys with a mustard sauce. Goat cheese. Grilled asparagus. Spring vegetables such as peas

To gain full access to this article and other premium content you need to purchase a bundle of credits which you can do as a one-off purchase or - and this is better value if you consult the site regularly - on an ongoing subscription basis. (1 credit = 1 article)

To buy credits you need to register an account, which which is easy to do here. Or just sign in to your account if you already have one.

If you’d like be able to check out all the food and wine pairings on the site you can buy a bundle of credits here to access my premium content.

And/or for regular updates on what and where I’ve been eating, drinking and travelling sign up for my weekly newsletter Eat This, Drink That, Live Well.

You may also enjoy …

An overview of the 2010 Penfolds releases and 2008 Grange

Navarin of lamb

West African pork and peanut stew with Heartland Dolcetto & Lagrein

Comments: 11 (Add)

Christine Hefner on March 5 2023 at 22:31

Wine class information, please

Holly on February 10 2023 at 02:09

Hi Susan,
You obviously have not had a Anderson Valley Pinot from Mendocino County. Closest to a Burgundy you can get in the states.

Susan on October 7 2021 at 23:46

Just throwing this out there....La Crema from Willamette Valley is excellent! Far outweighs the same from Monterey or Sonoma. Sending thumbs up to Oregon from California!

Chris on August 18 2021 at 15:27

What about Alsatian Muscat with any sort of Asparagus? And what about same with other food?

ruou ngoai thanh nien on October 1 2019 at 08:03

Absolutely loved it!!! Crisp, fruity & oh so refreshing. here some wine: https://douongngoainhap.com

Fiona Beckett on March 9 2018 at 07:44

I'd serve something like seared duck breasts or roast lamb and keep the accompaniments simple as this is quite an old wine (though, hopefully, should be delicious!)

Maeghan on March 9 2018 at 02:23

I recently purchased a bottle of my birthday year wine. A 1988 Joseph Drouhin Volnay Pinot Noir. What would you prepare for such a treat?

Vlad on May 24 2017 at 13:20

Good breakdown, Fiona. I've recently tasted 2013 Sew&Sew Pinot Noir from Adelaide Hills which by your classification would be sweetly fruited, and duck was the only thing it really paired with. Here are my experiments:
https://www.baucalis.com/sewsew-pinot-noir-2013/

Cheers,
Vlad

dominic buckwell on October 8 2014 at 10:42

are you sure about light pinot complementing asparagus? Or is it is just not to waste something more expensive with a notoriously difficult food type which does not really pair with anything?

Fiona Beckett on May 6 2014 at 12:02

True, James - there should be, especially as I got an opportunity to taste some last summer. Will update!

James Willougby on May 6 2014 at 11:41

Why no mention of the amazing German pinot noirs? Have tasted some outstanding stuff recently to rival the best Burgundy/New Zealand.

See all entries tagged "highlight"