WEINBERG'S WINE NOTES: Pinot noir is to fall for, as autumn hustles in
Last week I discussed wines that evoke the fall season. I subsequently realized that more than half of what I recommended was made from only one grape - pinot noir.
This isn't really a surprise because pinot noir is a natural match with food during September and October. The riotous colors of changing leaves, the heartier food that starts to hit our tables and the joy of the holidays all perfectly complement the Burgundy-hued, fresh fruit and spice characteristics of this noble grape.
In fact, so devoted am I to pinot noir that only half a column isn't nearly enough. So I'm dedicating this week's column in its entirety to the delicate juice that comes from this magical, maddening grape.
No doubt pinot noir can be fickle; in fact, red Burgundy (the original pinot) is notorious for the general lack of a relationship between quality and price.
Although it certainly isn't alone in this regard, it does have the reputation of being one of the most exasperating grapes. But finding a perfect bottle makes it all worthwhile.
From the grape's ancient home of Burgundy, I recommend the Louis Latour Pinot Noir, all light cherry, raspberry and bittersweet chocolate.
Another top-notch effort is the Marechal Bourgogne Gravel, full of bright cherry fruit and a bit of welcome astringency.
Yet another choice is the Ambroise Cote de Nuits Villages, so grapey yet moderate in tannin. All these wines perfectly express the somewhat harsh yet ultimately nurturing climate that produces some of the most sought-after wines in the world.
The United States also is the home of at least two pinot havens: California's Sonoma Valley and Oregon's Willamette Valley. Grapes get a bit riper in California and can develop darker characteristics, sometimes even a caramel tinge, often described as the perfect glass of cola. Seek out the Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Pinot Noir, layered with cherry, raspberry and moderate tannin, as well as the Savannah-Channelle "Armagh" Sonoma Coast, chocolaty, deep and rich.
In Oregon, the aromas and flavors are dialed down a notch, making the wines seem almost a cross between those of Burgundy and California. The widespread use of French oak adds delicacy, and sometimes I even taste an echo of the hazelnuts that grow rampant in the orchards interspersed among the vineyards.
Go for the Erath Pinot Noir, a serious mouthful of berries and cedar. Another excellent choice would be the Willamette Pinot Noir Estate, soft and pretty, with elements of milk chocolate percolating through the finish.
Other places are getting better at growing Pinot Noir, including New Zealand, where a maritime breeze moderates the climate and creates little pockets of perfect terroir that call out for the grape. See if you can find the Vavasour Pinot Noir Marborough, full of black raspberry and baking spice.
Another successful pinot project is in South Africa, where the far southern geography inverts the climate of east-central France. There pinotage, a cross with cinsault, grows best. Experiment with the Pinno from Graham Beck, a bit rustic in mouth feel but with good fruit and acidity that moderate the finish.
Pinot noir is surely the wine of the season, and if you are new to the grape I highly suggest you seek out some of these bottles. That way, when your oenophile friends break out their favorite juice, which I'm sure will often be pinot, you won't experience the dreaded disease of pinot envy.