« May 05, 2006 | Main | April 28, 2006 »
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Pinot Noir
No
need to break the bank for these pinot noir finds
The Willamette Valley in Oregon has become famous for its pinot noir
grapes. Pinot noir is off the charts in terms of sales in this country,
and I wish I could devote an entire column to singing the praises of
the many fine, inexpensive choices that are out there. Pinot noir
unlike cabernet, merlot or syrah is rarely offered at a budget price.
Pinot noir, following the Burgundian model, is usually not blended from
different grapes.
Final
Four Pinot Noir
Silky from start to finish, this wine reminds us why we love Pinot Noir
at just about any price.
The
Lessons of Pinot Noir for the Energy Market: Kevin Hassett
For most of my adult life, I have been a big fan of wines made from the
pinot noir grape. We dont need new subsidies for pinot noir growers, or
tax-free savings accounts from which one can fund pinot noir purchases.
We shouldnt subsidize scientific research into alternative grape
varietals and we surely dont need to study how to make a pinot noir
substitute from corn. The sharp increases in energy prices, like the
pinot noir prices before them, have had a significant negative impact
on me.
Kenwood
Vineyards Russian River Pinot Noir 2004
Kenwood's 2004 RRV Pinot Noir is varietal, and 95% Russian River Valley
fruit.
Belle
Valle Willamette Whole Cluster Pinot Noir 2005
The first USA 2005 Pinot Noir spotted is apparently a hot item at Total
Wine in Raleigh. Belle Vallée* Whole Cluster Pinot Noir is
varietal.
Discover
good pinot noir at less than lofty price
Pinot noir is off the sales charts in this country. Pinot noir, unlike
cabernet, merlot or syrah, is rarely offered at a budget price. Pinot
noir, following the Burgundian model, is usually not blended from
different grapes. As in Burgundy, the show-stoppers are single
vineyard, 100 percent pinot noir wines.
Coldstream Hills Pinot
Noir 2005
Prahova
Valley Pinot Noir 2000
Another not-entirely-successful experiment for us, this Romanian Pinot
Noir from Prahova Valley was very brown--"garnet" would be the polite
term for the colour, we guess.
Klein
Optenhorst Pinot Noir 2003
Having said that, there is typicity, which makes for a pleasant, albeit
simple glass of Pinot Noir.
Link
The Camelot Pinot Noir looked interesting, and it was not bad. The wine
is 76% Pinot Noir, 21% Syrah and 3% Sangiovese. The Syrah and the
Sangiovese help calm the natural exuberance of the Pinot Noir grape. It
is still a bold wine, with the distinct flavors of a Pinot Noir, but it
is smooth and a good value.
Andrew
Lane Wines Ushers in Renaissance for Napa Valley Gamay Noir
Available today at $19 MSRP, Andrew Lane Gamay Noir promises to turn
Pinot Noir fans sideways over this incredibly fruit-forward, vibrant,
anytime, anywhere wine. According to Greg Cole, Chef/Owner of
Napa-based Celadon and Cole's Chop House, "While I love Pinot Noir, I
hadn't yet tried a Gamay Noir. Often described as a California Rhone,
Gamay Noir a'Jus Blanc is closely related to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
and is the primary black grape of France's Beaujolais region.
Tasting
2001 Oregon Pinot Noir
My tasting group met recently to go through a number of 2001 Oregon
Pinot Noir.
Mr
Frog Pinot noir 2003
Lovely menu with a variety of interesting interpretations of French
classics, but only one pinot noir on the wine list and an Australian
one with a silly name at that.
The
growing taste for wine
His family first brought Pinot Noir to California, he said. A: I'd go
with Pinot Noir, because it's soft and silky. My favorite white is
Chardonnay, and my favorite red is Pinot Noir.
Sokol
Blosser Winery Meditrina (America) NV
Blue
Pyrenees Estate 2002 Pinot Noir
This wine is made from 100 % Pinot Noir, harvested at full ripeness
from two of the highest elevated blocks on Blue Pyrenees Estate.
Niagara
County vineyards help wine trail grow
VonHeckler: We grow exclusively pinot noir, and we grow it because the
Niagara Escarpment is perfect for pinot noir. In our case, it’s pretty
simple — our customers are looking for great pinot noir. VonHeckler: We
picked pinot noir to grow when we started back in 1999, so it was a bit
before “Sideways” just happened to put it on the map as an alternative
wine ...
SANFORD
SANTA RITA HILLS PINOT NOIR - 2001
From Santa Barbara wine country in California, this Pinot Noir has
gained prestige since it was featured in the movie Sideways. Santa Rita
Hills was made a certified AVA (American Vinticulture Area) in 2001 and
its unique climate and soil continues to yield some terrific Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay.
Boisset
America announces the introduction
Boisset America announces the introduction of IDÔL Vodka, the
only ultra-premium vodka distilled from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
grapes from Burgundy, France. Small lots of noble, rare Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay grapes from low-yield vineyards in Burgundy’s esteemed
Côte-de-Nuits and Côte-de-Beaune regions are hand- picked
and hand-sorted, then fermented using the same methods applied to the
fine wines of Burgundy. Distilling fermented Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
yields an extraordinarily smooth alcohol with an elegant, soft
mouthfeel. An innovative new tower- shaped bottle with a unique etching
of Pinot Noir grapes conveys the message of quality, purity, and style.
Marin
Agricultural Land Trust Pinot Noir Wine Tasting
The Marin Land Trust is having a two day Pinot Noir tasting to benefit
the organization.
Pinot
Noir Uncorked
For dinner tonight, I uncorked a bottle of Robert Mondavi Private
Selection Pinot Noir.
Here's
one for all you Pinot Lovers
It's a typical Sonoma Pinot Noir with lots of Cherry fruit but it has a
complexity that puts it above the rest. Some Pinot Noir producers
mistake the varietal for Zinfandel pump out 15% alcohol Pinots that are
flabby and taste like cherry cough syrup. 2004, Maison Grand Cru,
Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir. By the time harvest came in
California I was ready for another production experience and helped
make beautiful Pinot Noir and Zinfandel for Williams Selyem Winery in
Sonoma.
Peay
Vineyards 2002 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
There is no cheap Pinot Noir that compares to the real deal. The Peay
'02 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a testament to the the belief that wine
enjoyment is 90% smell and 10% taste.
PEE'ing
Pinot Noir
Winemaker Annette Hoff of Montereys Cima Colinais theauthor of a fine
blogand offerssome very insightful comments concerning the over
manipulation of pinot noir and wines in general these days. Cellar Rap
Blog Archive Pinot Noir for Everyone Else.
2003
Pipers Brook Pinot Noir 13.5%
Another example of why Tasmania is now considered as one of Australia's
best Pinot Noir regions.
2004
Fess Parker Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
98
Yamhill Valley Vineyards, Tall Poppy Pinot Noir
The
genetic code of Pinot Noir established
A group Italian researchers at the agricultural research institute
Michele all’Adige have identified the genome (the genetic code) of
Pinot Noir.
Walter
Hansel Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) 2002
I have about 250 bottles in my cellar, mostly zinfandel and pinot noir,
with a smattering of chardonnay. An Anderson Valley Pinot Noir was
good, but with a very faint inorganic chemical flavor on the tongue
that was detected by only two of us. The only star of the evening
(besides my grilled chicken) was a Martinelli 3 Colts Pinot Noir that
was absolutely lovely.
2004
Siduri Pinot Noir Gary's Vineyard
Since Pinot Noir is one of the big grapes and most if not all know the
story on this thin skinned temperamental varietal I am going to focus
on the Vineyard where this grapes came from before delving into the
wine itself. The Vineyard: Garys' Vineyard...a name synonymouss with
great Pinot Noir grapes. Mr Franscioni operates the great Pinot Noir
specific ROAR wines, and Mr. Pisoni runs the Pisoni Vineyards and Lucia
Vineyards. The Vineyard it self is located in Santa Lucia Highlands an
area that is getting better known for producing great Pinot Noir and
Syrah.
My
favourite examples of Australian Pinot noir
Firesteed Pinot Noir Believe the Pinot Hype?
Felton Road Block 3
Pinot Noir 2003
Elevating A Wine Region and its Pinot Noir
Firesteed
Pinot Noir Believe the Pinot Hype?
Grape Thoughts: Firesteed Pinot Noir – Believe the Pinot Hype? Rather,
what RV makers are hoping for is that Robin William, Jeff Daniels,
Kristin Chenoweth, et all, will make RV vacation’s look and sound as
funny as Pinot Noir looked after the movie Sideways. Before Miles, the
wine hero of Sideways, ever proclaimed the importance of Pinot Noir the
top selling wine in the US was Merlot, but oh how a movie can change
the collective consciousness of Americans. (Especially anything grown
in Sonoma, California) However, the truth was few had any interest in
Pinot Noir prior to seeing the movie.
Siduri
Keefer Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2002
Edwards in Laguna Beach, California, and together we drank Aubert
Chardonnay, Roar Pinot Noir, and a wine from (as I recall) Kentucky. It
represents the top of west coast Pinot Noir, from which we can compare
other wines we may have the good fortune to drink.
Elevating
A Wine Region and its Pinot Noir
Marin County, one county south of Sonoma, is attempting to build a
reputation for its wines and primarily for it's Pinot Noir. A
Celebration of Marin County Pinot Noir will take place on Friday and
Saturday, June 9 and 10 in Larkspur, California. And it turns out that
the upcoming Celebration of Marin County Pinot Noir will benefit the
Marin Agricultural Land Trust.
Koves-Newlan
Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2002
Impressively, the source of the fruit for Pinot Noir 2002 was the
30-acre Koves-Newlan estate in the Oak Knoll District.
Ashton Hills Piccadilly
Valley Pinot Noir 2000
Good Pinot Noir and the Adelaide Hills does not exist at the same time.
The Barrett Reserve 02 that Halliday raved about (something like 96 or
97 points) was dismal as a Pinot Noir (though an ok dry red). Has
anyone ever had oustanding varietal Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills?
In my opinion intense eucalypt and menthol flavours are not desirable
traits in Pinot Noir.
Dalwhinnie Pinot Noir
2002
Seriously, how can you compare red Burgundy to Pinot Noir grown in the
Adelaide Hills or Pyrennes?
May
Reds (3): Italy Blend(2), Australia Pinot Noir,
Score - 88 (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2005)." The
label says "The cool and beautiful Adelaide Hills produce pinot noir
that is fragrant, intense and generous with abundant fresh fruit
characters.
Wine
Marketing (and Bottle) Trends
Moreover, Pinot Noir continues to be the fastest-growing wine varietal
(84 percent growth for the 12 months from 10/04 to 10/05).
Mission
Accomplished
So I managed to talk a customer seeking American Pinot Noir into buying
a Dolcetto, a Barbera, and a Pinot Nero.
California
Wine Sales Soar in 2005
My
precious little wine secret
In no small part this is a reflection of my preference for Pinot Noir
and Syrah over Cabs and Merlot.
Getting
Your Pinot Fix
It is becoming more and more difficult to keep track of the number of
Pinot Noir Festivals that take place each year. While this year's batch
of Pinot Producers has not been announced, based on last year's list it
looks like this will be an opportunity to taste the wines of the
State's best Pinot Noir producers.
Submit a
Tasting Note and WIN Tasmanian Wine
A 3-pack of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling from a Tasmanian
producer will be winging its way to you if your tasting note is chosen
by the esteemed panel of judges (thats me).
Pinot
envy, riesling lust and a ratings rant
My precious little wine secret
Because
I was up to my ears in Ginjo Sake
"Fort Ross Vineyard Symposium Red Wine 2002 ($29.99) – This one
contains 96 percent pinot noir, with the rest pinotage.
Allen
Holstein's Chunk of Willamette
Most of the 450 some-odd acres he maintains are Pinot Noir and various
clones of Chardonnay, both of which adore the cool climate and sun.
Sixty-five
Zins: my notes from ZAP
At least with Pinot Noir, you'll get some variation in style, terroir
and extraction; but California Zin is all so big and bold, it gets hard
to differentiate between them.
Holy
cow! Oregon pinot noir breaks $200 barrier
Salem Statesman Journal,OR- Apr 20, 2006A $200 bottle of Oregon
pinot noir? I picked myself up and read the press release again. Yup,
$200 a bottle. A highly regarded winery ...