The Bitch Goddess Of Grapes
Don’t let pinot’s reputation spoil things for you; the wine may just change your life
There’s a lot to say about Pinot Noir — perhaps too much. Just wait until you end up at a dinner table with someone drunkenly waxing poetic about the heartbreaks and triumphs of seeking a “Pinot epiphany.” Hell, I’ve even had a self-proclaimed “wine guru” tell me that once I’d drunk as much wine as he had, I would realize that Pinot is far superior and would no longer waste my time with anything else. (This from a man whose nightly consumption included a $10 bottle of wine and a six-pack of Kokanee. Wine expert, all right.)
Asides aside, Pinot is one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties, so humans have had a rather long time to toy with it — there is evidence that it was already growing in Burgundy in by the fourth century A.D. It is very likely that humans selected it for cultivation from wild vines more than 2,000 years ago.
The reason Pinot is so talked about comes down to its reputation as a difficult grape to grow (meaning that it’s often made into wine that’s difficult to drink). You’ll find all manner of sources describing Pinot with such adjectives as capricious, finicky, and variable; a friend of mine who studied oenology told me that viticulturalists refer to Pinot Noir as “The Bitch Goddess.” Dramatic though this may be, it rings of truth, and just like in real life, when you drink Pinot, you’ll run into many more bitches than goddesses.
Pinot gravitates towards extremes; you often either get strawberry jam or cranberry juice. A good Pinot is enjoyable for its light to medium body, soft tannins, and bright fruit flavours of strawberry and raspberry. However, it can get too fruity when grown in a warm climate; as such, the best New World examples come from cooler regions like Oregon, Niagara, and New Zealand.
The other extreme is most often incarnated in Pinot’s motherland, the Burgundy region of France. Though the majority of Burgundy is average, and an unfortunate percentage is terrible, every few years a good vintage comes along and the wines can fulfill their true potential. They develop a surprising high concentration of tannins and acidity, along with fruit flavours tempered by layers of oak and its signature earthy, gamey quality — akin to damp earth, barnyard, and sometimes even meat (which gives a whole new meaning to the term “steak wines”). These wines can age for decades, and an aged Burgundy from a great year is supposed to be all but transcendent. (Personally I haven’t had this bottle yet, so I’m taking it on faith from those who have the dough to fork over for such a treat.)
Because climate is so critical in producing a good quality Pinot Noir, when choosing a Burgundy (or any cool-climate Pinot, for that matter) the vintage is crucial. In recent years, 2005, 2003, and 2002 were all warm enough to produce solid wines. While you can get lucky with off years, you won’t find anything dazzling.
You may have also wondered at the multitudes of other grapes bearing “Pinot” in their name. Could there be a connection, you ponder? Indeed, this phenomenon is more than a coincidence — Pinot Noir is prone to genetic mutation. Darwin would have loved this grape, as it has been spawning bastard children for millennia — Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, and many others all trace their ancestry to that bitch of Burgundy. Even Pinotage, South Africa’s signature variety, calls Pinot Noir mom (daddy being Italy’s Cinsault — must have been quite the party).
Though I take food and wine pairing with a grain of salt, I do admit that Pinot is one of the best food wines. Its lighter body doesn’t overwhelm most dishes, and its naturally high acidity cleanses the palate between bites. It is also one of the few reds that can pair with fish — and Pinot paired with salmon is a classic combination. It also pairs admirably with chicken and poultry, especially duck which is yet another classic Pinot pairing. Heartier examples can even stand up to lightly seasoned red meat dishes. If sweeter New World Pinot is more your style, try some out with spicier fare, like hot wings. And, when in doubt, Pinot always makes a good partner with innumerable types of cheese.