U.S. Pinot vs. Burgundy

The best Pinot Noir does not come from France... it came from France.

American Pinot Noir vines, with a few notable exceptions, came originally from Burgundy, France. California and Oregon Pinot Noir vineyards are growing clones of Pinot Noir plants that were culitvated and designated by their subtle differences over hundreds of years in central France, mainly in a valley known as The Valley of Gold in Burgundy. While this means OR-CA Pinot owes a huge debt to the French, and that French Pinot Noir is special and distintive and old, it does not mean that French Pinot is better than OR-CA Pinot Noir, and I'm frankly sick of hearing and reading that in just about every corner of the wine world. Neither does French Pinot's distinctiveness mean that you will like it better. Alot of times it just means that you'll pay more for French Pinot.

There are, generally, big differences between American and French Pinot Noir. American Pinots tend to be much more fruit juicy, with higher alcohol, less structure, and less ability to age well over 5 years. Red Burgundy on the other hand tends to be earthy and herbally, with more structure, less alcohol and the ability to age. Critics tend to prefer the Burgundian style Pinot. They hail its complexity, its better ability to accent food without overwhelming it, its uniqueness. California Pinots tend to get a bad rap. They are disparaged for being too fruity for food, for being too soft, for being unbalanced and having too much alcohol and not enough structure. But the flip side of these qualities, to me, is that they often appeal to non-critic wine lovers, and sometimes I feel like California Pinot gets bad-mouthed simply for being too likeable, too easy to drink, too, in a word, slutty.

To each his or her own. I, for one, don't mind a Pinot that goes down easy. Call me a defender of promiscuous Pinot. American  Pinot Noir is made with just as much love and care and expert attention as French Pinot Noir. Those critics who exhalt in French Pinots' Burgundian terrior seem to overlook the fact that California is a completely different terrior. Maybe the warm, sunny coastal valleys, cooled by misty Pacifc breezes are best expressed in the juicy bottled sunshine that is California Pinot Noir.*

And then there's Oregon. On the same latitude as Burgundy, France, crossed with its American Pinot heritage, and wholly influenced by its rich, volcanic soils and truffle-laden forests - Oregon Pinot Noir is the confounder of American Pinot critics, the place where the generalizations break down, embrace, and share a glass of truce. Oregon Pinots don't shy away from displaying their fruit any more than they shy away from showing their earthy Northwestern roots. The Willamette Valley grows blueberries, cherries, and raspberries in as much abundance as it grows morel and chanterelle mushrooms, chesnuts and hickory nuts, dogwood and fir trees, lavender and truffles. When done right, a good Oregon Pinot explodes with all of this and more.

Finally, there is another generalization that can be made about American vs. French Pinot Noir: French Pinot (at least what is available in the US) costs more. The priciest Pinots from the best producers in American, from as far south as Seasmoke in the Santa Rita Hills to as far north as Beaux Freres in Ribbon Ridge, top out at around $90 upon release, while the best Pinots of Burgundy start at around $100 upon release... and can be much, much more expensive. In my opinion, often what you pay that extra money for is not flavor but the fact that the wine is French.

So leave your prejudices behind, and let your taste buds be the judge. We all have different tastes and there's nothing wrong with preferring an earthy or a fruity Pinot. I'll let you know in my recommendations if a Pinot tends toward one style or the other so you can choose for yourself what best suits your taste. Maybe both... Vive la difference!

*Addendum:

There is one major difference between California and Burgundy that can account for much of the difference in styles. Burgundy's (and Oregon's) growing season tends to end much sooner than in California. Autumn in California tends to be hot, dry, and regularly lasts well into November... far longer than grapes need to ripen to beyond optimal levels. Picking in California, then, becomes a matter of stylistic choice. Winemakers could pick earlier, but the temptation to let them hang just a little longer is strong, especially when Mother Nature hasn't given you a deadline.

In Burgundy, on the other hand, cold and rainy weather can come at any time, often imposing an end to the ripening process whether growers would like it or not. In other words, style is less of a choice in Burgundy and Oregon, due to the imperatives of climate.

One could argue that the challenges of uncertain weather can result in pleasant surprises, and that is true. But one might also argue that California can elicit good flavors from the subtle Pinot Noir grape not possible in other, cooler, climates, and can be more consistent in its style.