Pairing One-Pot Dishes with Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir Cluster

Many cultures have a staple one-pot meal that consists of rice, meat, and even seafood, with an array of legumes and vegetables. I am talking about Pelau from Trinidad, Cookup Rice from Guyana, and dishes like Paella from Spain’s Mediterranean Coast. This video walks you through why Pinot Noir is the wine to beat when it comes to one-pot rice dish wine pairings!

What You Need To Know About Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a delicate and complex red wine grape variety known for its light to medium body, bright acidity, and soft tannins, making it incredibly versatile for food pairings. Its flavour profile often features red fruit notes like cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, along with subtle earthy and floral undertones, which complement the savoury and aromatic qualities of one-pot rice dishes beautifully, amongst many other things.

Originating from the Burgundy region of France, Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varieties, prized for its sensitivity to terroir, which means its flavour reflects the nuances of the soil and climate where it’s grown. What's more about Pinot Noir is that it's a chameleon. It vibes well with many cuisines and can shine with a bit of a chill on it, making it a perfect summer red that should be added to your list!

Why Pinot Noir Works with One-Pot Dishes

It is said that the origin of one-pot dishes comes from a time when things may not have been so bountiful, and therefore, you would grab whatever you had on hand to produce a meal for the family.

Given all that happens in a one-pot dish, my go-to pairing wine is Pinot Noir, for the following reasons:

• It is light enough that it can be served slightly cooler than most red wines at 15 degrees, which will help if hot peppers are added to the pot.

• It’s got enough tannin to stand up to the meat often found in these dishes, and just enough to pair with even seafood used here because of its flavourful state from herb seasoning.

• Most dear to me, when thyme (a stable in Caribbean one-pot meals) and coriander pair with Pinot Noir, the red fruit on the wine become brighter.

• Lastly, Pinot Noir, especially cool climate Pinot Noir, is relatively high in acidity, and so it cleanses the palate and gets you ready for the next bite.

Pinot Noir’s delicate fruit flavours and subtle earthiness beautifully enhance the comforting richness of one-pot rice dishes. From a pot of pelau to cookup rice, from pilaf to jambalaya, Pinot Noir brings out the best in every bite.