Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon: What's the Difference?

These are the two great French red grape varieties — and they have almost nothing in common. Pinot Noir is fine, delicate, transparent about its terroir. Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful, structured, built to last. Two philosophies of red wine, two opposite ways of defining elegance.

We have grown Pinot Noir in Sancerre for generations — it is the only red grape variety allowed in the appellation. This comparison is built on that hands-on experience, with an honest look at both varieties.

The Origins: Burgundy vs Bordeaux

Pinot Noir: the Grape of Burgundy

Pinot Noir is the historic red grape of Burgundy — Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée. It is a delicate, temperamental grape, difficult to grow, that produces wines with very fine aromas and a remarkable ability to reflect the terroir it grows on.

In Sancerre, it expresses itself differently than in Burgundy — the flint and limestone-clay soils give it a tension and freshness that the soils of the Côte d'Or don't have. This is what makes red Sancerre so distinctive: a Loire Pinot Noir, not a Burgundian one.

Cabernet Sauvignon: the Grape of Bordeaux

Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of great Bordeaux — Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, the Médoc. It is a robust grape, little troubled by disease, productive, giving tannic, structured wines with a great capacity to age. It is rarely vinified alone in Bordeaux, where it is classically blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Its presence worldwide — Napa Valley, Chile, Australia, South Africa — makes it the most widely planted red grape variety on earth. That universality owes as much to its agronomic robustness as to its very recognisable style.

The Comparison: Two Radically Different Styles

Criterion	Pinot Noir	Cabernet Sauvignon
Tannins	Fine, silky, understated	Powerful, tight, structuring
Acidity	High — pronounced freshness	Moderate to high
Body	Light to medium	Medium to full
Primary aromas	Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rose	Blackcurrant, blackberry, bell pepper, cedar
Aromas with age	Mushroom, forest floor, leather, truffle	Cigar box, tobacco, leather, cedar
Oak	Discreet — subtle ageing	Often pronounced — new barrels common
Ageing	10–20 years for great cuvées	15–30 years for great Bordeaux
Serving temperature	14–16°C — cooler than other reds	16–18°C
Signature regions	Burgundy, Sancerre, Oregon, New Zealand	Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Chile, Australia

The Aromas: Learning to Recognise Them

The Nose of Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is one of the most aromatically complex grape varieties in the world — but its aromas are delicate, never loud.

Young: fresh cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry, violet, rose. On flint terroirs like our "ES-56", a touch of smoky stone is added.

With age: button mushroom, forest floor, leather, truffle, supple leather. It is in this evolved register that great Burgundies and our parcel-specific Sancerre cuvées show their true dimension.

The Nose of Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is more immediately expressive and easier to identify in a blind tasting:

Young: blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, sometimes green bell pepper (a characteristic marker of the variety), cedar.

With age: cigar, tobacco, leather, graphite, truffle. Great 20-year-old Bordeaux live in this register — deep, complex, with a finish that can last several minutes.

Food Pairings

Pinot Noir at the Table

Its finesse and supple tannins make it the most versatile red at the table. It complements without overpowering:

Poultry: guinea fowl, quail, duck — the classic pairing with Burgundy Pinot Noir.
Fatty fish: salmon, seared tuna — a bold pairing that only Pinot Noir can pull off among reds.
Mushrooms and truffles: the natural affinity between the earthy notes of aged Pinot and mushrooms is remarkable.
Soft cheeses: Époisses, Livarot, Munster — regional Burgundian pairings that work beautifully.

Cabernet Sauvignon at the Table

Red meat: lamb, rib of beef, entrecôte — Cabernet's tannins need protein to soften.
Game: venison, wild boar, pheasant — Cabernet's power stands up to the intensity of game.
Hard cheeses: Comté, Cantal — their structure holds up against the tannins.
Fine cured meats: cured ham, coppa — as a starter, with a young, fruity Bordeaux.

Our red Sancerre "Le Graveron", grown on Kimmeridgian marl, is the ideal match for roast guinea fowl with mushrooms or a rosemary-grilled côte de bœuf. Its lacy tannic structure and its notes of dark fruit and chocolate make it the most "Burgundian" of our reds.

Which One to Choose, Depending on the Occasion?

Choose Pinot Noir if…

You're after a fine, elegant red — accessible even for people who don't usually like powerful reds.
Your dish is delicate — poultry, fatty fish, mushrooms.
You want a red that's served slightly cool (14–16°C).
You're exploring red Sancerre or Burgundy.

Choose Cabernet Sauvignon if…

You're after a powerful, structured red built to age.
Your dish is hearty — grilled red meat, game, stew.
You enjoy wines with a pronounced tannic presence.
You want a bottle to lay down in the cellar for several years.

"Le Graveron" 2020 (single vineyard)

Sancerre

Red· 2022

"Grande Réserve" rouge 2023

Sancerre

Red· 2023

"ES-56" rouge 2020 (La Bourgeoise)

Sancerre

Red· 2020

Discover our red Sancerre wines — Pinot Noir

FAQ

Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon

Is Pinot Noir always lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon?

Generally, yes — Pinot Noir has fewer tannins and a lighter body. But a great Burgundy Pinot Noir, or our "Le Graveron" from Sancerre, can have a depth and complexity that some Cabernets never reach. Pinot's lightness is a matter of structure, not quality.

Can Pinot Noir be served cool?

Yes, and it's actually recommended. Contrary to popular belief about red wine, Pinot Noir is best served between 14 and 16°C — meaning take the bottle out of the cellar 30 minutes beforehand, not leave it at room temperature. Too warm, and the aromas blur while the alcohol takes over.

What exactly is red Sancerre?

Red Sancerre is made exclusively from Pinot Noir, within the Sancerre appellation. It is often more taut and mineral than a Burgundy — the flint and limestone-clay soils give it a freshness the Côte d'Or doesn't have. It is a Loire Pinot Noir, with an identity all its own.