While Burgundy, France is the home of the Pinot Noir grape and the producer of truly world-class Pinot Noirs, the U.S. is a not too distant second in terms of production. After the 2004 movie “Sideways” was released (which celebrated Pinot Noir wines), interest in Pinot Noir wine took off in the United States. Vineyard acreage planted with Pinot Noir increased dramatically and new producers developed vineyards in California and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Today, Pinot Noir sales are second only to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow successfully. It’s thin-skinned and very sensitive to temperature, soil and disease. The vines produce tightly packed grape clusters which make it susceptible to various forms of disease and rot. It’s a cool climate grape and doesn’t do well in warmer climates. In California, Sonoma County and the Russian River Valley are two of the top producing areas as is the Willamette Valley in Oregon where nights are cooler and valley fog often develops.
An experienced and knowledgeable wine maker is critical for making good Pinot Noir wine. While that may apply to making any good wine, Pinot Noir ripens unevenly and generally requires hand-harvesting and gentle handling. Vinification processes can vary but if poorly managed, the wine can have a bitter edge or simply be flat.
What’s your taste? The thin skins and chemical components of Pinot Noir grapes often lead to light-colored, medium-bodied, lower-tannin wines with alcohol levels of 13% to 13.5%. These “lighter” wines generally have tastes of red fruit like cherries, raspberries and strawberries and pair well with roasted chicken, seared tuna and mushroom risotto.
But depending on processing, oak barrel aging and goals of the producer, full-bodied, richer, more concentrated wines capable of aging and developing over many years can be made. These are usually higher in alcohol from 13.8% to 14.5% with tastes of darker fruits like black cherry, plum and blackberry and pair well with foods like duck, pork tenderloin and saucy pastas. It’s up to you. I find both styles wonderful.
Pinot Noir is widely available where wine in sold in the United States. Depending on your pocketbook, a good bottle can range on the low-end from $20 to $30 to well over $100 for the pricier, highly-rated ones. There are hundreds of wineries making Pinot Noir in the U.S., many making a range with different price tags. Here are just a very few to consider:
- $20-$30 Meiomi Wines, La Crema and A to Z Wineworks
- $30-$60 Adelsheim, Failla and Willamette Valley Vineyards
- $60-$100+ Williams Selyem, Kosta Browne and Eyrie Vineyards
Cheers!
-Submitted by: Jim Wolitarsky