What Kind of Wine Is Cupcake Pinot Noir?
The Cupcake Pinot Noir is a light and dry red wine from the Central Coast of the United States. It is a delightful mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Every sip of the Cupcake Pinot Noir has a silky texture that fills your mouth and is contrasted by a crisp and dry finish.
It brings a light and dry combination to red wine that can be enjoyed at all events and with different pairings. The fruity flavors of this Californian wine are best enjoyed during a relaxing evening. The Cupcake Pinot Noir won the 2015 Vintage Double Gold and the 2013 Vintage Gold from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Cupcake Pinot Noir Review
- Winery — Cupcake
- Country/Region — United States, California, Central Coast, Livermore
- Type — Californian Pinot Noir
- Aroma — Smoky, Fruity, Vanilla, Cinnamon
- Grapes — Pinot Noir
- Taste — Berries, Vanilla, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Caramel
- Alcohol Content — 13.5%
- Sugar — Dry
- Pairing — Fish, Beef, Veal, Poultry, Game, Chocolate
Low in calories and tannins, the Cupcake Pinot Noir is a balanced red wine that can be served on different occasions. With its relatively low alcohol content, you can open a bottle to celebrate the end of a hard week at work or use it to toast more auspicious events like weddings and birthdays. When taken with food, this wine perfectly complements mild-tasting and lightly seasoned food like fish and chicken. Cupcake Pinot Noir is reasonably priced particularly when you consider the quality of the grapes used.
Tasting Notes
A good bottle of Cupcake Pinot Noir will have a brilliant appearance that doesn’t let light pass through with only a few tears gliding across the wineglass. Initially, you will get sweet notes of fruit and berries that change to a tart sharp note in the middle and ends with a short dry finish. Cupcake Pinot Noir reviews should mention the lightness of this drink. With its mix of spices, red fruits, and chocolaty taste, the wine will go well with mild-flavored food. Its medium acidity makes it easy on the palate. Overall, it gives a smooth and heavy yet subtle sensation to the drinker.
Appearance
The wine color usually depends on the grape and harvest quality but the grapes used in a Cupcake Pinot Noir go through multiple steps to ensure their best color is extracted and protected. This will give your drink its standard burgundy color. The wine doesn’t allow light to pass and is darker (a deep burgundy) in the middle of the bottle. A bottle of Cupcake Pinot Noir is a leggy drink that will show a few tears when swirled that quickly move along the surface of the glass.
Aroma
Its complex blend makes the aroma an experience in itself. You can smell the California sun mixed in with the fresh scent of strawberries, black cherries, plums, and red currants. A layer of spice makes your next whiff a little smoky. These spices include dried herbs, cinnamon, vanilla, and clove. This also gives the wine an earthy scent. All of these notes work well together without being overwhelming. A standard bottle of Cupcake Pinot Noir should not be allowed to breathe for long since the aroma is relatively mild and becomes flat the longer you let it breathe.
Taste
The taste is at first a fruity tartness made of ingredients like red and black currants, strawberries, cherries, and blueberries. As the drink opens up, another tangy sensation covers your tongue which comes from the mixture of fruits and spices. The spices you taste are vanilla, oak, and cinnamon. There is also a slight caramel-like tone with every sip which is not too obvious. The drink then turns sharp or crisp (which may be due to the tannins) to balance the sweetness of the berries. Altogether, the Cupcake Pinot Noir is a bubbly yet elegant drink with nicely structured layers.
Finish
The layers of fruit at the start stay with you for the entire sip, keeping the sweet taste throughout. This is also where the ‘cupcake’ in the wine promises and delivers. There is a silky creamy texture that gives you a heavy feel in every sip, but it isn’t stretched too much and ends in a nice crisp sip with a short finish. The aftertaste of the Cupcake Pinot Noir wine is dry with a lingering taste of sweet ripe fruits and cool fresh spices. The experience of this drink is reminiscent of its physical bottling with the cool Californian breeze and warm sun around you.
Rating
We found the Cupcake Pinot Noir very refreshing for a dry red wine. It has a nice inviting aroma with a promise of fruits but also has a hidden spicy surprise. The juicy, tangy quality makes it a bright drink that isn’t overdone. Its fruity flavors are held up by the strong spice in its ingredients. It is an easy drink for the palate. It offers a delicate balance that is achieved by mixing strong spices with sweet ingredients and makes every sip a satisfying experience. We loved the sharp notes in the middle and its smooth finish. The Cupcake Pinot Noir is a solid 80/100 in our books. We recommend this wine for its subtlety and elegance.
Cupcake Pinot Noir Food Pairing
The Cupcake Pinot Noir is a versatile wine that goes well with mild-flavored dishes. You can pair it with beef, game birds, poultry, or fresh fish. A few suggested food pairings are:
- Pulled pork sandwich
- Quinoa salad
- Barbecue chicken
- Roast wild goose stuffed with crepes
- Grilled salmon
- Grilled steak with bolognese sauce
Enjoy it best with a chocolate dessert after lunch under a clear sky. If you have nothing to pair it with, simply enjoy the drink by itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Makes Cupcake Pinot Noir?
Cupcake Vineyards is owned by The Wine Group. The company was established in 2008 and has been making wine since. They are located in Livermore, California but their grapes are sourced from the nearby regions in the valley.
Their wine-making philosophy rests on the creation of a delicious, affordable, and quality wine that everyone can enjoy. Their winemaker, Jessica Tomei, has traveled to and worked with many vineyards around the world to create wine that is suited for the American market. After creating a range of creamy and fruit-forward wines, they started producing a ‘light-hearted’ variety of their famous wines.
How Is Cupcake Pinot Noir Made?
The pinot noir grape variety is difficult to grow as its thin skin is prone to diseases. The hot sun and cool fog from the ocean produce elegantly structured grapes. They are carefully selected so that only the best grapes from the region are used. This is how the Cupcake Pinot Noir maintains its quality. Only the best ingredients are used to achieve that balance in taste. Pinot noir grapes are harvested at their peak to get the rich flavor, aroma, and color. This is also further preserved by cold-soaking the grapes for 48 hours. The wine is then aged for about nine months in French and American oak barrels. Once the wine is ready, it is bottled and ready to be enjoyed.
Where Is Cupcake Pinot Noir Made?
The Cupcake Pinot Noir is made in California’s central coast, where the bright sun and fresh air help the growth of the special pinot noir grape. The region gets plenty of cool wind from the Pacific Ocean that helps balance the warm daytime temperatures. The varieties of pinot noir are too delicate for harsh weather and need the balance that the weather in this region provides. The soil needs to have a clay-like texture to help drain water easily. These stringent requirements are all met along California’s central coast where the cupcake vineyards are located.
How to Serve Cupcake Pinot Noir?
The Cupcake Pinot Noir should be served chilled at a temperature of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or 12 to 15 degrees Celsius). Since it is a delicate red wine low in tannins, it is likely to lose its flavor at warmer temperatures. Serve this flavorful drink in a glass with a wide bowl and a tapered lip. The pinot noir is a red wine, so its aroma has to be released for you to fully enjoy it. You don’t need to decant a pinot noir. It can be poured directly into a glass.
How Much Does Cupcake Pinot Noir Cost?
The Cupcake Pinot Noir price is reasonable for its quality. It commonly sells between $6 to $10 in stores or online. However, remember to consider the quality of the grape used and its age before buying.
How Long Does Cupcake Pinot Noir Last?
Its low tannin content means you cannot store the Cupcake Pinot Noir for long. In time, its flavors and aroma will decrease and make this subtle drink flat. Once opened, allow the Cupcake Pinot Noir to breathe for 10 to 20 minutes. Drink it within two to three days. You should also refrigerate the wine to prevent it from losing its texture.
How Many Calories Does Cupcake Pinot Noir Have?
Cupcake Pinot Noir calories are at 125 kilocalories per glass, not too heavy on your health. It has zero fat and protein. Every 750ml bottle has one percent carbohydrates while Cupcake Pinot Noir alcohol content is at 13 to 14 percent.
Conclusion
Low in calories and tannins, the Cupcake Pinot Noir is a balanced red wine that can be served on different occasions. With its relatively low alcohol content, you can open a bottle to celebrate the end of a hard week at work or use it to toast more auspicious events like weddings and birthdays. When taken with food, this wine perfectly complements mild-tasting and lightly seasoned food like fish and chicken. Cupcake Pinot Noir is reasonably priced particularly when you consider the quality of the grapes used.
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, consider the ‘light-hearted’ version of the pinot noir from Cupcake Vineyards. It is similar in all aspects but is lighter, vegan, gluten-free, and low in carbs. Each 5-ounce serving has only 80 calories. All in all, we think most wine drinkers will find it easy to enjoy Cupcake Pinot Noir with its low alcohol content and full-bodied flavors characterized by fruity tartness, subtle caramel tones, and smooth finish.
