The pinot noir grape is responsible not only for a wide variety of wine styles, but also for a vast range of flavors. The pinot noirs of Burgundy, France, are tremendously different than those from the Willamette Valley in Oregon which differ from those produced in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma County in California.
So, how do you even compare any of these wines with French Champagne and California Sparkling that produce the same varietal?
Just like Champagne or Bordeaux, in order to be called a Burgundy — the grapes must have been grown in that region of France. The soil or terroir in Burgundy imparts certain characteristics into the wines produced from that region that cause them to taste different from anywhere else in the world, with one of the most notable nuances being a mineral flavor. Burgundys are also some of the most expensive wines that are produced and many are legendary due to the number of years that these wines can age before being consumed.
Although the Pinot Noir grape is red, many Champagnes are made using this varietal. In reality, the juice from a Pinot Noir grape is almost clear in color, with a slight gray tint — the same is true of almost all red grapes.
In order to make Pinot Noir wine red in color, the winemaker uses a process called “maceration.” Maceration occurs by leaving the grape skins in the grape juice before and during fermentation. The alcohol removes the red color along with tannins and aroma from the skins and dissolves them into the wine.
Pinot Noir is a tough grape to grow because it is extremely thin skinned and weather conditions have a huge impact on the quality of the grape.
Many wineries almost give each grape individual attention.
Several years ago, the movie “Sideways” made Pinot Noir popular, and as a result, caused retail prices to increase.
Setting out to find some reasonably priced Pinots, I chose three in the $13 to $20 price range
The first wine tasted was the 2007 Estancia Pinnacles Ranches Pinot Noir from Monterey County.
This wine appeared dark ruby in color and started with a burst of dark cherry flavor that overwhelmed my palate and seemed to suppress other flavors contained within it.
The grapes for the 2006 Wente Vineyards Reliz Creek were grown in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey, Calif., a region that the winery has been using since the 1960s.
This Pinot Noir was rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast and contained flavors of cherry and pepper, with some earthiness.
It paired well with roasted chicken, marinated in oil and sun-dried tomatoes, along with a simple rice pilaf.
Wente Vineyards was founded in 1883 and claims to be the oldest family owned winery that has been continuously in operation in the country.
The last wine I tasted was the 2007 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, which began with the flavor of cherry and contained hints of plum.
This wine felt smooth and round in the mouth. La Crema is found on many restaurant wine lists and I have found it to have fairly consistent flavors regardless of the vintage.
I believe that the Wente and La Crema are excellent values for the money.
I tasted the Wente side by side with a Pinot Noir that cost more than twice as much, but wasn’t any better given the difference in price.
Jim Rawe, a family attorney in Bradenton, is an avid collector of fine wines. He can be reached at jimrawe@gmail.com.
Email Story
Printer Friendly 
Quick Job Search
@Nyx.replyAnswerText@