- Last updated on February 1, 2023
This is our Mark West Pinot Noir review.
California is known for its Pinot Noir, as they were the first winemakers to bring the varietal to America.
Mark West Pinot Noir is an easy to drink wine that will conquer you with its red fruit notes and a great good value for your money.
Find below our Mark West Pinot Noir full review along with our food pairings recommendations, serving tips, curiosity and where you can buy it.
Let’s begin!
Our Mark West Pinot Noir Review
- Brand: Mark West
- Grape Varietal: Pinot Noir
- Region: United States, California
- Tasting Notes: Red fruit notes
- Glass & Serving: Burgundy / 55-64 °F (13-18 °C)
- Price Range: $8-$13
- Bottle Size: 750 ml
Mark West Pinot Noir review: What's its color?
Mark West Pinot Noir wine has a medium garnet color.
If you want to know more about how to taste wine and the lingo that goes with it, check out this article: How To Taste Wine Like a Pro in 4 Steps.
Mark West Pinot Noir review: What are the flavors?
Mark West Pinot Noir is entirely made from Pinot Noir grapes.
It opens with notes of ripe red fruit like cherry and berries with sweet oak.
It’s a balanced medium-bodied wine.
Is Mark West Pinot Noir wine sweet?
No it’s not sweet. Mark West Pinot Noir wine is a dry wine.
A dry wine contains less than 15 g/L.
Learn more about wine sweetness level here.
Mark West Pinot Noir review: Which food pairs well with it?
Mark West Pinot Noir is very versatile when it comes down to food pairings.
We find it pairs very well with earthy food, meat and strong cheese flavors.
Classic appetizers are mushroom pizza, mushroom agnolotti, and caramelized cauliflower to name some.
Meat wise you have wide selection here from duck, roasted chicken, pork, rabbit, and beef bourguignon for example.
If you are a cheese lover our recommendations for you are Taleggio (wash-rind), Comte, Ceddar (semi-hard) or Pecorino (hard).
Mark West Pinot Noir review: What's its alcohol content?
Mark West Pinot Noir wine’s alcohol content is 13.8%.
In case you wonder about alcohol content or more precisely Alcohol By Volume, i.e. ABV, measure the alcoholic strength of a drink.
There is a direct relationship between the sugar left in the wine after the alcoholic fermentation has taken place, i.e. Residual Sugar or RS, and ABV.
During alcoholic fermentation, the yeast transforms the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol.
Grapes with high residual sugar will therefore produce dry wine with a high ABV.
How many calories are in a glass of Mark West Pinot Noir wine?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture [1] a 5-ounce glass will contain about 120 to 130 calories.
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. So a wine with high ABV will have a higher calories per glass than a wine with low ABV.
Furthermore, sugar contributes to the calorie count.
A dry wine will usually have 4 calories per grams vs a sweet wine that will have around 20 calories per grams of carbs, which include sugar.
What is Mark West?
Here is an extract from the Mark West website itself:
“Mark West was founded in 1978 with one desire –
To craft remarkable Pinot Noir that delivers exceptional quality at an affordable price.
Our name, Mark West, is an ode to a region in the heart of Sonoma County, one of the world’s best places to grow Pinot Noir.
It was here that we started our winery and our passion for Pinot.“
Conclusion
California is known for its Pinot Noir, as they were the first winemakers to bring the varietal to America.
Mark West Pinot Noir is the perfect everyday wine that for under $10 offers great value for your money.
If you have never tried it, I’m not entirely sure what are you still waiting for?
Once you had it, we’d love to know your opinion, so reach out and let’s know what you think! Enjoy!
