Pinot Days is fast becoming my favorite holiday of the year without being a holiday. But it should be. At least it feels like one here in Hollywood, where the January nighttime temps are in the 60′s now and the Pinot Noir is cool, refreshing and delicious.
Santa Lucia Highlands Map
K & L Wines, one of my favorite local sellers of the juice of Oenotria, hosted the first of two free Pinot tastings on consecutive nights leading up to the grand finale of Pinot at Santa Monica Airport on Saturday.
It was simple enough. 2 Pinots by La Fenetre, 4 by Ken Brown, 3 by Sequana, and 2 by Testarossa plus crackers. Some were good, and some were very good. All were California. If I were shopping I would just pick the least expensive one of the bunch… they were all deserving of a swallow.
One trend I’m seeing already is Santa Lucia Highlands. The Russian River Valley has achieved some respect. Santa Barbara had its Sideways experience. But Santa Lucia has just quietly been going through a revolution, and you’re about to hear more about it in a big way. They are as distinctive and recognizable for their expression of terroir as RRV or SB.
Why the Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noirs are special
Another trend that I’ll be looking at is whether there are any major deviations from the California style. So far, no. Lowest alcohol was 13.9%. Most were well over 14%. None felt vigorous enough to last past their fifth birthday with any extra grace. Great NOW, but not any greater then.
The good news for me is that tonight checks 4 producers off the massive Saturday list… and I won a free bottle of La Fenetre Cab by mentioning Josh’s email (I was the first)! Sometimes it pays to read.
Speaking of which, if you read this before Pinot Days on Saturday, you can get 10% off admission… and if you see me there and say hello, I’ll give you a bottle of my extremely rare and precious and (if i do say so myself) delicious Rubaiyat Pinot Noir 2009 from Carneros.
Pinot Now is Offering You a Special Discount on Tickets to All the Festivities at Pinot Days 2011!
PinotNow.com and Pinot Days have partnered to offer our mailing list members a 10% discount on all of the festival’s spectacular events. Just enter the discount code PNTNWSC11 when ordering tickets from the Pinot Days web site and you will receive an immediate 10% discount on all events. This year’s Pinot Days Grand Festival is Saturday, January 15th from 2-6pm at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
To view the details of this year’s events, click HERE.
Just got back from visiting one of LA’s coolest wine shops, with a great name, that also happens to have a well-chosen selection of Frech & US Pinot Noirs: Domaine LA.
On Melrose, between La Brea and Highland, on the corner of Mansfield, Domaine LA just misses the high-traffic of central Melrose west of La Brea, but it shouldn’t be missed. The unpretentious strip-mall setting belies a premier cru of a wine shop with a fabulous, but not overwhelming, selection of Pinot Noirs – from the affordable and yummy (Poppy) to the waiting-list-(almost)only (Kosta Browne) to the rare and interesting (A Donkey and Goat “Broken Leg Vineyard” from the Anderson Valley).
If you have questions, you’ll find the owner, Jill, to be very helpful, and refreshingly passionate about her wines. Learning about her wines, and indirectly about wine in general, is as easy as engaging her in a conversation about what you’re looking for and how much you might want to spend. The atmosphere is browsy and chill, perfect for relaxed wine shopping for kid-in-a-candy-store wine shoppers like me.
Though only featuring around 30 or so Pinot Noirs (a guess), they are a well-chosen balance of Oregon and California Pinots (Ken Wright, Sinnean, and soon Big Table Farm, with Copain, Alta Maria and others), some great ’05 premier crus (and others) from both the Cote de Nuits & Beaune, and some affodable village Burgundy as well. They are all either Pinots I’d like to try or Pinots I’ve tried and have thoroughly liked.
I couldn’t resist buying the strange 70% Pinot Noir 30% Gamay blend – from the Loire – that Jill recommended, as well as her choice of a table pour – a Gamay from Beaujolais that she described as being made like a Pinot Noir from the Cote d’Or. I’ll let you know what I think when I try them.
Another great thing about Domaine LA is that you don’t have to be in LA to enjoy it – online ordering and shipping is available. Jill admits that the website isn’t necessarily up to date, so if you have questions just call in. Oh, and Domaine LA (called Domaine547 online) also has an equally thoughtful and delcious selection of everything besides Pinot Noir as well.
What was great about 2008 in Oregon is that the Pinot Noir grapes were able to mature and develop rich, concentrated flavors without building excess sugars. The resulting wines, like this A to Z Pinot Noir, are light (A to Z pinot has 13% alcohol) but with depth and character. Complex but weightless. Layered but effortless. Delicious now… and 5 years from now, or more.
Notes: #75 on Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines of 2010 (90 points). A great achievement for an under $20 bottle of pinot noir.
Occasion and Pairing: The dark berry and exotic spice notes, coupled with its lightness, make the A to Z 08 Pinot a great match for poultry and fowl. Duck and Goose prepared in a variety of ways. Coq au vin, Roast squab would be perfect. A great cheese Pinot too: Brie, especially, and other mild soft cheeses.
Alta Maria Vineyards Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2008
The tasting notes of multiple critics for this ’08 Pinot Noir from Alta Maria Vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley suggest an earthy, complex Pinot Noir with subtle, background fruit. Yeah, right.
This is a classic California Pinot Noir with sweet fruit and oak. Maybe the critics tasted it earlier in it’s life, and it has since developed. Or maybe they were comparing it to other California Pinot Noirs, which may tend to have overly-ripe fruit and lots of sweet vanilla oak. But Burgundian this ain’t.
Sure, it does have some nice, complex notes of chaparral and spice… with maybe the ghost of a hint of minerality. But these are the background elements, not the fruit which is rich cherry and raspberry, with a touch of plum and strawberry.
No matter what has been said about it, be assured that it is a thoroughly enjoyable Pinot Noir, and more than nice for the price.
Notes: 93 points and an Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast. Available at K & L Wines in Hollywood & online @ klwines.com
Occasion and Pairing: Great with roast goose, for the holidays.
Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir 200
When I tasted this at Argyle, I bought it as my choice for their best, most affordable Pinot. When I opened that bottle with company, without preface, every one volunteered some comment about how good it was. One non-drinker had a second glass.
Aromas of peppery spice and cherry. Allow this to breath in the glass for a few minutes. It’s cherry without being fruit forward, with anise, and a love bite of acidity and oak that really complements food. Trickling tannins. It lingers in your mouth. After breathing a few minutes it opens to faint echoes of dark, dry chocolate. Rich, textured, and lively.
Notes: The most affordable of Argyle’s highly rated and delicious Pinot Noirs. Also try the Argyle Nuthouse 2006 Pinot Noir and the 2005 Argyle Spirithouse Pinot Noir if you don’t mind the extra $. A recommended producer. A half-bottle also available. This bottle is good to go for aging 1-5 years.
Occasion and Pairing: Elk would be perfect with this. Knowing how hard it might be to get elk, lamb chops or brisket would be great too. Will highlight peppery dishes beautifully.
Beaux Freres Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir 2006
This Pinot develops as you drink it. It starts as warm creme brulee… with aromas of creamy vanilla, bruleed turbinado sugar… topped with raspberries, toasted coconut shavings. A pinch of lavender gives way to a dusting of clove. The first sip bursts open like a cherry blossom in spring, and then the deeper elements emerge… dark fruits laying on the earth beneath the trees from which they have fallen, ripe, the full range of seasons expressed. Then richer with plum, licorice, and roses… tragic… romantic.Notes: The 2006 Beaux Freres Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir is delicious now, but probably has not peaked… wow. This will appeal to those who like almost any style of Pinot… old world or new world. It will cellar for years and appeal at every age. The renowned wine critic, Robert Parker, is one of the owners of Beaux Freres, so you will never see Beaux Freres Pinots rated by Wine Advocate, Parker’s magazine. But they always get high marks from others.
Occasion and Pairing: Pair with exceptional passion, great art, sumptuous fare, and music. Add deep longing and companions who appreciate the subtlety of body language. Finish with a bitter-sweet good-bye kiss, and bitter-sweet chocolate.
Benton Lane Pinot Noir 2006
I want to describe this as a slow summer drive down an unpaved orchard road at the base of a long dormant volcano. The summer breeze lifts aromas of sweet berries and spice, cinnamon and clove, with currant, and a refreshing pull from a bottle of cherry-vanilla soda. A gulp of tangy acidity and spice, lithely structured, with blueberries, and dusty red earth. Full without being heavy. Juicy yet crisp. Your mouth waters for more but is simultaneously refreshed.
Notes: Sanctioned by the L.I.V.E. and Salmon Safe programs, Certified Sustainable. Well rated. Serve below room temperature.
Occasion and Pairing: The tang of the wine pairs well with veal, poultry, or ahi tuna. Veal Milanese. Fried chicken. Seared peppered ahi. Serve this wine to add some life and interest to otherwise standard fare.
Black Mountain Painted Ridges Pinot Noir 2008
Lots of flavor in a light wine. Fully balanced but with a fruity, California style. Strawberries and cream, notes of vanilla oak up front. Ends smooth with clean lingering cranberry freshness. More than you’d expect from this price range.
Notes: Black Mountain is owned by Bronco Wine Company. Bronco only distributes wholesale, and has no online or retail sales. However, if you call them at 209-538-3131, they will tell you where this wine is available for sale in your area. All Black Mountain varietals are reliably good for the price. Interesting fact: Bronco Wine Company also owns and distributes Charles Shaw (“Two/Three Buck Chuck”).
Occasion and Pairing: Because this is a low alcohol, easy on the wallet, and a versatile crowd-pleaser… I would serve this with a variety of appetizers at any party. If the appetizers are good, you might not need to worry about serving anything else.
Breggo Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Cherries & bright berries. A touch of vanilla. A hint of anise. It doesn’t flaunt it’s flavors, but once in your mouth it doesn’t let you forget them.Notes: Breggo is a new producer, and they’ve started out strong.
Occasion and Pairing: Roast Turkey with green bean casserole. Pasta with a pink sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese. When you’re feeling blah, or need a little cheering up, Breggo is the friend that starts by listening and then has you laughing before you know it.
Brick House Cuvee du Tonnelier Pinot Noir 2004
Youthful and fresh with pure, pretty fruit, even with 7 years age, this still has plenty of vigor to develop, evolve, and possibly transform over time. But it’s lovely already. It made me consider Oregon’s potential for timeless greatness… until I realized it isn’t potential anymore. The best producers in Oregon, like Brick House, are and have been making Pinot Noir for the ages, and I submit the 2004 Cuvee du Tonnelier as evidence. This is not some American vin ordinaire… this is special.
Notes: This may be difficult to find, and should actually be cellared for another 5 years at least. It’s pretty now, but will likely transform into something profound. Confirm that the seller has cellared it well.
Occasion and Pairing: Pairs well with food, not so well with driving. I had it with Peruvian Pollo Saltado and it was delish.
Cambria Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
You’ll get a nose-full of tart cherry and berries with some lavender and a bit of rosemary. The taste is like a sunny country roadside stop to pick fresh, tart, wild, brambly salmon berries, black berries, and blueberries.
Notes: Wine Enthusiast gave this 93 points. It’s not a 93 in my book, but it is quite tasty for the price. For something fun, try it chilled.
Occasion and Pairing: Great with roast or fried chicken, home made mac-n-cheese, and hot dogs. Yes, hot dogs. Family picnics, Sunday afternoons, and evenings on the deck.
Cecchetti Red Tree Pinot Noir 2008
For a Pinot Noir that you can buy for as little as $7, Red Tree is kind of mind-blowing. From the moment you open the screw cap, it hits you with aromatics that are rich and spicy, and much more nuanced than its pricetag would suggest. I found it developing in my glass, and actually improving in the bottle after it had been open over-night, half drunk.
Now, don’t go thinking this is Cotes de Nuits stuff… it’s not going to make you burst into a fit of poetic rapture. But it very well may make your eyes pop open in surprise. It has layers of delicious flavors that you just don’t find in this price range.
Notes: 88 points from James Laube, Wine Spectator.
Occasion and Pairing: Buy a case. The Red Tree’s classic Pinot Profile pairs well with classic pinot fare. It’s price pairs well with a tight budget.
Dierberg Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2006
Wild and dark berries, with notes of cocoa and California chaparral (think sage herbs and wildfire and more). Rich and full, draped in sexy, silky tannins. Confidence and finesse. This is a rare find from the land that the movie Sideways made famous.
Notes: Age-worthy. This Dierberg Pinot is drinking deliciously now, but has the structure to develop even more. Some would be tempted to suggest it has a Burgundian style… I would like to coin the term “Chaparral style.” It uniquely expresses its terroir and has a character all its own.
Occasion and Pairing: Grilled chicken breast marinated in chimichurri sauce. Herb-rubbed roasted squab with garlic mashed potatoes. Lamb and fig stew.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2006
What you smell almost perfectly parallels what you taste. Cherry, with black berries & wild raspberries, balanced against the forest floor after a storm. Wet pine needles and deeper truffle. A finesse Pinot. If you were hiking in the Suislaw under dripping redwoods with a bag of cherries in your jacket and got lost, and stumbled upon a little meadow, just a small break in the canopy, and there grew a few thorny raspberry bushes, and you started picking them and stuffing them fresh into your mouth with handfuls of cherries, and if while doing this you realized you were a truffle-sniffing pig, you might begin to appreciate what’s going on in this Pinot.
Notes: France meets American Pinot Noir, literally, in this Pinot. Maybe the French name gives it away, but this producer moved from Burgundy to Oregon specifically to make Pinot Noir because of the two locations’ similarities. You can find the name Drouhin on a French label as well. Well rated. If you don’t mind spending the extra $20, get Dom. Drouhin’s Laurene – which offers even more of what you get in this wine.
Dark yet lively. Black cherry and, I know this sounds strange but, smoked sugar with just a whisper of lavender on the nose. Smoldering, rich, dark fruit flavors with a touch of spice. Grounded by a beefy red plum core, elevated by a touch of licorice.
Notes: Grown in the dark red volcanic soils of Dundee, Erath’s Pinot Noirs are great examples of their hilly terrior. This one got 91 points by Wine Spectator. A recommended producer.
Occasion and Pairing: Great with steaks, especially thick cut Filet Mignon. Try with beef shish-kebab. An obvious choice for grilling. Also a great prelude to dark chocolate.
Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008
Warm berry pie or cobbler… buttery crust, pie spice – ginger, nutmeg and a hint of anise – and fresh blueberries, spiked with strawberry and a deep hidden forest background. Beautifully balanced, full and round while remaining fresh and light with clean, shadowy tannins. 13% alcohol keeps this food friendly and hangover preventative. Wine making practices are stylistically Burgundian, but the resulting wine is perfectly Oregonian.Notes: Evesham Wood is an organic winery. The grapes for this bottle are not estate grown, but they were sustainably grown in non-irrigated (“dry farmed”) vineyards. Non-irrigated vineyards save ground water as well as producing strong, healthy vines by forcing them to grow deep roots.
Occasion and Pairing: One of my “Holiday Pinots” because it would go great with the holiday classics, Baked Ham or herb Roasted Goose.
Evesham Wood ‘Le Puits Sec’ Pinot Noir 2005
You’ll smell raspberries, cherries and floral notes. You’ll taste cherry, bright fruit, and maybe even a little red licorice. It’s lightly and seductively tart.
Notes: The grapes for this wine are sustainably grown in non-irrigated vineyards. Label features the Pacific Dogwood Flower… which I think is a great symbol of the subtle elegance of the wine. Certified Organic. Their wines tend to have lower alcohol content (Le Puits Sec is 13%).
Occasion and Pairing: Venison with a tart cherry reduction, roast Cornish Hens with wild rice, and even prune stuffed goose would go perfectly with this. Pairs well with a poetic spirit and springtime.
Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2005
Fresh baked cherry pie. You can smell the warm, buttery crust under the sweet cherry aromas, clove and cinnamon, with hints of cassis and smoke. When you bite into it you feel your mouth flooded with flavors of dark ruby cherries, layered with sliced strawberries, ripe plums, currants, buttery vanilla, and exploding with scintillating acidity, folded over undertones of blueberry. The finish lasts longer than you can resist taking another sip.
Notes: Drink this wine young, now. Goldeneye is a label of the Duckhorn Wine Company.
Occasion and Pairing: President Obama had this paired with these duck and pheasant recipes. Hoard this wine jealously. Drink it alone or with close, Pinot-appreciating friends.
Inception Santa Barbara Pinot Noir 2008
This got a unanimously enthusiastic reception when I served it at a recent dinner. One of my guests smiled when I said I would describe it as “plush and tantalizing, with a rich, lingering finish.” “What does that mean?” he asked. So let me be less wine-speaky:
This fills your mouth with a richness of flavor, balanced by just the right amount of acids and tannins that make it feel lighter, so that it avoids being syrupy, while at the same time adding complexity through diversity of textures, or feelings, in your mouth. After you swallow, you still feel and taste that richness for at least a minute or longer, and the whole experience makes your mouth tingle pleasantly and salivate, craving more.
Scents and tastes of dark berries, elevated by fresh Rainier cherry, subtly augmented by pie spice notes and just a touch of black pepper, deepened with a faint hint of sweet earth and black truffles.
Notes: Typical of a California-style, this Pinot Noir is high in alcohol: 14.8%. Atypically, this alcohol is balanced beautifully with its other elements and results in a wine that, while rich, doesn’t overwhelm your palate.
TO PURCHASE: Call the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and ask them to ship – (310) 278-2855.
Occasion and Pairing: I served this with seared salmon over sauted red onions & cabbage with a Pinot Noir gastrique. It was a nearly perfect pairing. A side of ratatouille, and fresh corn-butter softened leek-wild rice pilaf didn’t hurt either.
Korbel Natural – California Champagne 2008
Smooth but dry, creamy but delicate, with light peach and pear fruit and velvety finish.
Notes: Made with 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. Korbel is the oldest champagne producer in the USA. The winery was founded in 1882. Korbel Natural has been served exclusively at the last five presidential inaugurations.
Occasion and Pairing: New Years Eve parties, when you want lots of good bubbly but don’t want to spend a fortune… and any other parties, for that matter. Also goes great with spicy Mexican or Thai food with green chiles, Sushi, and Chicken Marbella, and one of the few Pinot Noirs that pairs well with all kinds of salad.
La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007
Black berries and raspberries greet you, balanced against spicy pepper, and touch of woodsy oak. It feels light and dark at the same time, with an elegant balance of enticing acidity, refreshing texture, and dark fruits. This La Crema 2007 Pinot is delightfully distinctive of the Sonoma Coast, with succulent fruit that echoes the rich, earthy terrior without being… earthy.
Occasion and Pairing: Venison or Boar would be ideal, but a simple sausage and peppers dish would be great. Drink La Crema 2007 when you want to live richly without the high cost. A good case buy. This will please a wide range of palates.
McKinlay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008
You’ve probably never heard of McKinlay before, but this tiny production estate winery has one of the most hands-off Pinot programs in America. The Pinot Noirs that they produce are probably the most accurate portrayals of their vintage and terroir in the US. 2008 happened to be spectacular.
If you want to find out what Pinot Noir tastes like when it hasn’t been over-grown, over-ripened, and over-oaked like so many US Pinot Noirs, McKinlay is the Pinot par excellence. Their style is fresh, minimalist, unadulterated… pure Pinot Noir. Like Ridge in California, this Oregon winery believes in letting the wine speak for itself.
Cluster thinning for extreme low-yields, native yeast fermentation, and almost entirely neutral oak aging are the cornerstones of McKinlay Pinot production. The resulting wines are immaculate expressions of every drop of rain that fell, every shaft of sunlight that shone, and every granule of soil from which the roots of the vine took sustenance to produce its pristine fruit.
In 2008, each of these factors combined to work magic. 2008 will go down in the books as a very special vintage. It won’t be appreicated by those who thought 2006 was a great vintage, with its over-heated autumn. The 2008 vintage has the potential to put Oregon Pinot into another class all its own. A timeless, legendary class reserved for the “best” that we mere mortals can manage to create at the mercy of the elements with our simple tools.
The 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from McKinlay is arguably young, considering that it will be able to be enjoyed in 15, 20, 25, and even 50 years. Already, however, it has begun to reveal a deep, richly exotic soul with notes of cardamum, anise, and blackberry, black cherry, pomegranate. This light-bodied gem dances across your palate and leaves a lingering, almost haunting, impression of its journey.
Did I mention that it’s under $20? Maybe I should have led with that.
Notes: McKinlay Pinot Noirs can be drunk now but are built to be drinking well in 15 or 20 years too. If you like this, you’ll love their Ladd Hill Pinot Noir. At $35 it’s still one of the best bargains in Pinot Noir.
Occasion and Pairing: Fennel and clove spiced lamb, braised in ruby port. Roast squab in blueberry pinot reduction. Moroccan & Persian dishes featuring spiced duck and lamb stews.
McKinlay Vineyards Ladd Hill Pinot Noir 2006
Silky and layered. Mouth-watering integration of subtle structure and tantalizing acidity. Sweet berry fruit, tart cherry, cinnamon & clove, with hints of truffle & herb. The luscious finish never lets go. This is a quintessential Pinot Noir experience.
Notes: McKinlay wines are Burgundian in the sense that they are made with the least input from the owners/wine makers, Matt & Holly Kinne. McKinlay Pinots are grown using water and sunshine and Willamette Valley soil. Picked, crushed, and allowed to ferment naturally with native yeasts. Once fermented they are aged in mostly neutral oak. What you get in the bottle is one of the purest expressions of vintage and terrior on the West Coast.
Occasion and Pairing: I’m recommending this as one of my “Holiday Pinots” because the lively texture and silky fruit pair beautifully with the holiday classic, Prime Rib Roast. It would also be great with any big game (venison, elk) or Filet Mignon. It’s a Pinot Noir that is worth celebrating.
Moshin Molinari Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
Ripe, juicy, and full. The nose and mouth evoke strawberries and other bright fruit and sparkle with notes of pie spice.
Notes: The vineyard where these Dijon clone grapes are grown is on the border between the Russian River and Dry Creek Valleys.
Occasion and Pairing: Roast pork loin stuffed with spinach and feta, seasoned with rosemary and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Or seared skirt steak with a pinot-pomegranate reduction, with a side of braised swiss chard or kale. Would be great for a rainy afternoon of sports spectatorship, or, if the weather is fine, for picnicking, boating, and barbequing.
Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Pinot Noir 2006
Crossbarn, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2006, has an upfront, from the cork, yummy goodness. It barely needs to breath, so ripe is it in the bottle. Mouth watering & tantalizing. It dazzles the palate across several gulps and continues to stay good to the end. Not a bad wine to open as a second pinot in the evening, since it’s lively berry juice is just enough to one-up a good, light starter pinot… assuming you have enough worthy drinkers to get through two bottles.
Notes: Crossbarn is the second label of winemaker Paul Hobbs.
Occasion and Pairing: Great “get lucky” date wine. Pair with a lighter starter pinot, as little food as possible, and some charm.
Rochioli Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006
An initial burst of sweet vanilla, strawberries & cream, soon followed by red cherry – both in your nose and mouth. Subtle pie spice dances on the finish. From beginning to end this pinot is silky smooth, round and almost glossy, like a ruby polished by an enchanted sea.
Occasion and Pairing: When the wind shifts and starts to lift rather than blow, and you feel weightless and the whole world is dancing on air; When you are exhilarated; When you had a good day and things are just clicking; When serendipity brings an old friend back into your life or you hit it off with a new one; Serve this with filet mignon (as rare as you can), mashed potatoes, spinach & garlic saute, and a sparkle in your eye.
ROCO Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008
Another delicious example of Oregon’s exceptional 2008 vintage. What’s exciting for me is the level of complexity this delivered in such a delicate way. Zesty and opulent, yet lithe and nimble. Opening this bottle felt like opening my Christmas gifts early. Lots of life in it, and it will continue to evolve deliciously for several years.
Notes: 92 points from Wine Spectator and #71 on their list of Top 100 Wines of 2010. ROCO produces consistently yummy pinot noir, but this is even better than usual. For a splurge, try their 2008 Secret Stash Pinot Noir… wow.
Occasion and Pairing: I thought of this as a braised beef pinot noir. Short Ribs, brisket would be great. But I also think Salmon in an orange-chipotle sauce, or just grilled with a Pinot Noir reduction would be perfect. Duck a l’Orange would be a fun, unusual, but delicious pairing.
Roessler Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir 2006
Richly yet gracefully blended aromas which melt into juicy balanced flavors… wilted herbs and rainy pine forest, dripping with bright cherry and dark berry juice. A balance of fruit and earth, with complex aromas that suggest whole landscapes of flavor, with supple, undulating texture.Occasion and Pairing: The complex aromatics of this Pinot will enrich simple foods, or highlight the subtle complexities of something more complicated. For simple, try a roast cornish hen with Dijon mustard and soy sauce glaze, and a sprig of rosemary and thyme. For complicted, try tea smoked duck with a blackberry cardamom jus.
Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2006
Wafts of dark fruit, with a high note of raspberries, and undertones of brooding cocoa. You’ll taste these flavors too, layered with some cherry and some delicate elements of earthy truffle that add to its complexity.Notes: Sokol Blosser estate vineyards are certified organic. A recommended producer.
Occasion and Pairing: Duck breast with morrell mushrooms. Lamb stew with figs. Great for bad weather, long nights, or thoughtful occasions.
St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir 2006
Wild berries and spicy aromas. Unfolding layers of bright fruit flavors, mouth watering lively texture which will soften and expand with aging. This Pinot’s got game, and will ripen like a magical fruit for several years.
Notes: While tasting at St. Innocent I was impressed by the way their Pinots let you know with every tantalizing sip that they are alive. This one is a great example of the way a good Pinot Noir can be a living creature. You can fully enjoy its exuberant youth, and look forward to all the potential it reveals. Parker gave this 92 points. A recommended producer.
Occasion and Pairing: Pheasant, grouse, quail, dove, squab and other game birds would be perfect with this. As it matures, think about adding some wild mushrooms. Later still it will be great with braised lamb shank or seared loin chops. Celebrate your wild side…a successful hunt, a vacation in your favorite forest, or any day you feel a primal glee.
I wish that all Pinot Noir was organic. And not just because I think it would make the world a better place… I think it would make the Pinot Noir better.
Imagine a vineyard where crimson clover, Austrian winter pea, and oats grow between the rows of Pinot Noir to provide rich sources of nitrogen to the vines; where blue birds swoop down to eat pesky insects; where humans ride zero-emission electric four-wheelers around the vineyards; where windmills and solar panels dot the landscape, providing energy for the winery; where little sheep mow the clover and prune unwanted vine shoots, then poop them out to fertilize the vines. This isn’t a vision of some fairytale idyll, but a depiction of real practices employed by a growing number of organic pinot noir wineries in the US.
Organic pinot noir isn’t just about substituting synthetic pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers for natural ones. It’s a holistic perspective of agriculture that sees nature as a partner, rather than as an opponent, in the grape growing and winemaking process. It takes into consideration every aspect of a vineyard and winery – from using underground storage to eliminate the need for air conditioning, to using (and recycling) natural corks to limit the use of petroleum products since there is plastic in screw caps and synthetic corks (that’s right, corks may be “greener” than screw caps!).
Organic viticulture isn’t just about the pinot noir that goes into your glass either. It’s about the fact that over 60% of the harmful polluting chemicals that end up in our rivers and oceans – the water we and our livestock drink and the fish we eat – comes from agricultural run-off.
Of course there can be challenges to fully embracing this perspective, especially when it comes to Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is one of the, if not the, most highly susceptible varieties of grapes to the various species of fungus and mold that can decimate a grape crop. In addition, Pinot Noir grows best in cooler, often damper, areas where those harmful fungal pests also grow best. Even the most vigilant organic growers can regularly lose a percentage of their crop to black rot or powdery mildew. And in a business that is already fraught with difficulty, the temptation to remove some uncertainty and loss seems like common sense. But then why are there so many organic wine producers in Oregon (over 25%) where it is wetter and cooler, and so few in California (1%) where conditions might be more ideal than anywhere else on the planet for organic wine production?
The point is: where there’s a will, there’s a way. Organic viticulture isn’t necessarily more challenging, it’s just different. Conventional agriculture isn’t sustainable. Organic is the future, and the more we consumers support it the more it becomes the present. Request it, promote it, and support it with your $.
A special note about organic pinot noir: Though viticulture and winery operations are the most significant part of organic pinot noir production, there are a lot of ways the pinot noir can be demoted from “100% Organic” to “Made with organic grapes.” The easiest way is by the addition of even small amounts of sulfites. While some very few people do have sulfite allergies, and things added during the winemaking process sound scary – like diammonium phosphate – they are often harmless. Diammonium phosphate is a chemical added during winemaking that yeasts use for food and has been found to be non-carcinogenic. And you can read my article about sulfites here.
I don’t mean to suggest that there’s nothing to worry about regarding chemical additives in wine, but I would suggest that how the grapes are grown should be the primary consideration.
Stay tuned: next year I’m going to make wine from organic grapes in two batches, one with sulfites, added yeasts, yeast food, malo-lactic bacteria, and ML food. The other batch I’m going to stomp and let ferment with natural yeasts, add nothing to it, and compare the results.
Organic Pinot Noir in California – Why Isn’t There More?
Since California is doing so poorly with regard to organic and sustainable pinot noir, I’ve compiled a list (below) of every California producer that I could find who is producing pinot noir organically and/or sustainably. I’m sure I’ve left off a few, so please let me know of other organic California pinot noir producers. I’m hoping that this kind of list will encourage more California producers to adopt organic and sustainable practices in their production of pinot noir.
To begin to list Oregon vineyards and wineries that are organic or sustainable would be too much for this site. A huge percentage of Oregon wineries that produce Pinot Noir practice some level of organic, sustainable, LIVE, biodynamic, and/or Salmon Safe viticulture and wine making practices. To list any would be to leave too many out. More than 25% of the wineries in Oregon are organic and sustainable, compared to merely 1% of California wineries. Instead of a list or Oregon organic or sustainable pinot noirs, here is a link to the definitions of these terms, as used in Oregon, so that when you see them on your bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir you’ll know what they mean:
LEED Certification
Also look for pinot noir producers that have been LEED certified.
From Wikipedia: Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Learn more from USGBC Pennsylvania, New York, etc. Pinot Noir – Organic, Sustainable
Pinot Noirs are produced by quite a few Northeastern wineries, but the cold and excessively rainy weather there make organic practices extremely challenging from a commercial perspective. Please let me know if you know of any commercial wineries that produce Pinot Noir on the East Coast using organic and/or sustainable viticulture (or in the MidWest for that matter).
As if we didn’t have enough reasons to love Pinot Noir already…Pinot Noir has been shown to contain some of the highest levels of resveratrol of any wine. Turns out the same things that make pinot noir such a delicious wine make it a healthy one too.
Resveratrol levels in most grapes increase in cooler and wetter climates. Resveratrol and the other goodies (various anit-oxidants) have evolved in grapes to help them defend themselves against rot and mildew. Since Pinot Noir is so thin-skinned, and because it grows best in cooler climates, it naturally contains higher levels of these protective compounds. During the wine making and drinking process, these goodies get passed on to us.
Remember: the good stuff is in the skins of the grapes, so champagnes and white wines have much less of the good stuff in them (since they are made by removing the skins before fermentation).
No… The sulfites did NOT give you a headache… and chances are you are NOT allergic to them either! Sulfite “allergy” is perhaps mostly myth. Sensitivity is extremely rare. Less than 1% of the population has been show to exhibit some sensitivity to sulfites. If it’s you, you’d know for sure and it would probably not be just a headache. Several studies have shown that even most people with sulfite sensitivity don’t react to sulfites unless they are in much higher quantity than is in the average glass of wine.
Often those who complain of getting headaches when they drink wine say that red causes them more than white. The syndrome has even been given an acronym: RWH (Red Wine Headache). But white wines almost always contain more sulfites than red… which again shows that it must be something else besides the sulfites that are causing your headaches.
So why do I get headaches when I drink wine, you ask? Good question. And by “good question” I mean nobody knows for sure. It’s probably the histamines. Hista-what? The things that cold pills inhibit… the stuff that stuffs you up. There aren’t high levels of these in red wine, but in the presence of ethanol – you know, the “fun” part of wine – the effects of histamines may be increased… because you’re body is too busy gettin’ its drink on. Nobody is sure, but…
The point is: it’s NOT the sulfites. So don’t fear them.
Here are two simple tests you can do:
1. Eat a handful of dried fruit. If you don’t get a headache or have other ill effects, you don’t have sulfite sensitivity. A couple ounces of dried fruit has more sulfites that the average bottle of wine.
2. Take a Claritin or other antihistamine the next time you go wine tasting (or before drinking that next bottle of Pinot Noir). If it minimizes or prevents the headache these activities usually cause you, then… Voila! Sulfites = innocent, histamines = guilty.
Sulfites are found in almost every commercially produced bottle of wine, even if the winemakers don’t add any. However, they aren’t really bad for you. Sulfites are as natural as they are additive.
Grapes naturally contain sulfites and yeast create sulfites during fermentation. The human body even creates its own sulfites. They have also been used for centuries in wine and food production.
Technically, sulfites are anti-oxidants… like resveratrol… but sulfites prevent the oxidation and spoilage of wine and other foods and drinks. Wine without sulfites will start to deteriorate and spoil in a much shorter amount of time, especially if stored without careful control of temperature and light exposure.
This is why a commercial winery cannot afford to take the risk of making wines without sulfites. If their un-sulfited wine isn’t sold and drunk within a year or two of release, it will go bad and cause them to lose lots of money. Wine without added sulfites will quickly brown, sometimes immediately, and many people find this to be a turn-off and will not purchase the browned wine, even if it tastes fine.
Wines sold in the US and Australia are required to state that a bottle of wine “contains sulfites” (if they’ve been added), but almost every wine producer in the world adds them. So while you’re dining in Paris on your bottle of Bordeaux that has no mention of sulfites… you can still be sure that sulfites have been added.
Organic?
Organic wines must be made without adding sulfites, according to US regulations. However, the next time you see a bottle of wine with the word “organic” on the bottle, read it closely. 9 times out of 10 it will say “Made with organic grapes” rather than just “Organic Wine,” or “100% Organic Wine” which is even more rare. “Made with organic grapes” means that the grapes were farmed according to the strict organic regulations (no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, etc.) but that winemakers are at liberty to make additions and adjustments to the wine during the winemaking process, like adding sulfites so that the wine won’t spoil. But even organic wines can have up to 20 ppm (parts per million) of sulfites… because they can naturally occur in wine.
Pinot Noir is one of the grapes used to make Champagne. If you’ve ever had Pinot Noir as a table wine, this may sound strange. It’s red, or purple, or at the very least it’s NOT champagne colored.
The reason it’s possible to have a white champagne made from a red Pinot Noir grape, is because the skin of the Pinot grape is the only red part of it. The pulp is white. So when they crush the grapes, they just have to remove the skins from the pulp before fermentation to prevent that redness from getting all mixed up in the juice and turning the champagne purple. A “Blanc de Noir” (white of black) is a Champagne or sparkling wine made predominantly, or entirely, from Pinot Noir.
As offensive as that might be to those of us who only drink Pinot Noir for the “live-forever” compounds found in its redness, it makes for some tasty bubbly and gives further evidence of the importance and versatility of Pinot Noir.
It is commonly thought that the rule of temperature for serving wines is: red at room temperature, white chilled in the fridge. Though common, these guidelines are, without being too judgmental, wrong.
The mistaken idea that red wine should be served at room temperature evolved out of the intended wisdom that red wine should be served at cellar* room temperature. Whereas we like to keep the temperature of rooms in which we actually spend time around 70 to 72 degrees F, cellars tend to be quite a bit cooler because they are insulated by the earth. And wine, when extracted from these underground caverns and served above ground in a dining room, for example, will have a refreshingly cool sensation on your palate.
White wines, as well, are often served too cold. When you serve a white wine right out of the fridge, its flavors will be subdued and your palate will be slightly numbed by it… which is a great trick if you’re serving swill, but not if you want to enjoy a nice wine to it’s fullest. Whites too should be served right around cellar temp.
So how cold is cool? Technically speaking, somewhere between 55 and 60 degrees F – generally 55ish for whites, 60ish for reds.
So what do you do if you don’t have a temperature controlled Pinot storage unit? If you store your Pinot at room temperature or just received an online shipment of Pinot and want to drink it this instant, try putting it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
*For those of you from Southern California, like me, a cellar is a room, or series of rooms, under the ground floor of a house. In other parts of the world these things are common and are also known as “basements.” Good places for storing wine, rat poison, and unwanted children.
QUESTION: Can you recommend some of your preferred Oregon wineries for Pinot Noir? We are planning a trip soon to the Willamette Valley and would like to visit some of the top notch wineries. Also, are their particular vintages to embrace and avoid?
ANSWER: There are two lists of wineries I would recommend, based on two different criteria. Generally, the wines I’ve recommended on the site from Oregon come from recommended wineries, so you can use the PinotNow recommendations as a guide for quality wineries.
However, when taking a trip to wine country, a secondary factor becomes important… the quality and visitability of the winery tasting rooms. Some of the best wineries in Oregon (and elsewhere) don’t offer tasting, and others offer it only by appointment. Included in those groups would be: Evesham Wood, Westrey, Beaux Freres, Lemmelson, McKinlay, Shea Wine Cellars, Brick House, Coeur de Terre, etc. You have to arrange tasting appointments with all of these wineries.
But the best tasting room, that has regular tasting hours, is by far Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. The Penner-Ash tasting room sits atop a large hill at the end of a steep winding drive in the Ribbon Ridge district of the Willamette Valley. It has gorgeous views of the Ribbon Ridge and nearby Dundee Hills AVAs as well as the surrounding countryside. The tasting room itself is a beautifully designed glass, granite, and wood-beam structure that provides glimpses into the below-ground winery workings and barrel storage. In addition to the beauty of the spot, they make damn good wine.
Other great tasting rooms with regular hours and good wine include Argyle, Domaine Drouhin, Domaine Serene, Bethel Heights, and Cristom.
Another spectacular tasting room is the one at Van Duzer Vineyards; however, I have yet to try a Van Duzer Pinot Noir that I like. So I can only recommend the tasting room, not the wine.
As far as vintages in Oregon go, it does, as always, depend on your taste. Generally in the past decade the vintages that have received the most acclaim are 2002, 2006, and there is a lot of buzz about 2008.
2007 was a particularly “challenging” (aka “bad”) vintage, due to heavy, early rains that forced an early harvest. So the ’07 Oregon Pinots can be hit and miss… often miss. If you happen upon a good ’07 it will invariably reveal masterful winemaking, given that to produce quality Pinot the winemakers had to overcome huge obstacles… so perhaps the good ’07s are to be revered even more than the good ’06s? Even if good, the ’07s will be thinner and lighter than other vintages. So if that’s not your style, beware.
If you can find an Oregon Pinot from 1999, drink it. You’re in for a treat.
Update – Dec 2010:
If you haven’t heard, 2008 in Oregon was phenomenal. Classic. Perfect. It was given a 100 point rating by Wine Spectator. That’s 100 points out of 100. The wines, even under $20 are wholly amazing. Delicious. Ageable. And one of the wonderful things about them is that they taste like no other Pinot Noir on the planet… they have become their own aspiration.
