Pinot Noir

We have often said that the pinot noir grape is so difficult a variety to work with that it has been responsible for some of the world’s most astounding successes and most dismal failures. It is a grape variety that is referred to as a shy grower because of the myriad of problems that can be encountered in the vineyard. It is super sensitive to every twist and turn that Mother Nature can throw at it. If the grapes make it to maturity, the winemaking could be a total horror. The variety is known as one that will turn on a vintner without any reason. If the wine makes it through all of these obstacles there are other problems waiting. The wine does not age in the normal manner, slowly, steadily and predictable, but rather in a series of deep sighs. However, if the wine gets through all of these obstacles, a pinot noir can be pure ambrosia.
We have found some pinot noir wines that we consider worthy of your attention because they are quality examples of what the variety is all about and at price tags that won’t break the budget.

Robert Mondavi 2008 Napa Valley Pinot Noir ($20). The color of this wine is a bright cherry red and the aroma is heavy with the scents of cherries, red raspberries and oak. These aromas carry over to the flavor where they are melded with a layer of warm spices. There is an almost perfect balance between the fruit and the acid. What is rare about all of the Mondavi pinot noir’s is the soft and smooth tannins that are all too often missing in most California examples of this variety. This is a very fine wine, which can hold its own with the best from anyplace in the world.
Charles Krug 2007 Napa Valley Carneros Pinot Noir ($21). This Pinot Noir is very typical of all Charles Krug wines, it is exceptional. The full varietal flavor and aromas and the inviting light ruby color beckons one to sample. A smoky cherry aroma and flavor wrapped in a blanket of oak blends into a soft, lingering finish. An ideal choice to accompany red meat dishes.
Buena Vista 2007 Carneros Estate Pinot Noir ($16.99). It is a wine with a medium body and a bright, clear ruby color. The aroma is a mélange of strawberries and red raspberries, black cherries mingled with oak. In the flavor department, the true capabilities of the Pinot Noir grape are explored to its fullest. Black cherries dominate the flavor with hints of vanilla, soft oak and chocolate in the background. Take our word for it; this is one of the better pinot noir wines of the vintage.

Pepperwood Grove 2009 Pinot Noir ($8.00). Do not let the low price of this wine scare you off, its quality far exceeds its selling price. This wine displays a big, open, full fruit aroma. The flavor is powerful, stressing black cherries, blackberries and blueberries, intermingled with an earthy element that seems to amplify the flavors. The finish is exceptionally long and fruit filled While California is not known for really great pinot noir wines, this one could start a new trend.
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Sebastiani Vineyards 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($18). The Sebastiani Vineyards 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a rare find among pinot noir wines made in the United States or anywhere else for that matter. To begin with, the grapes come from some of the finest vineyards in the Sonoma Coast grape growing area of California. This wine has good color and an impressive cherry, spice and vanilla nose. The flavor also presents a cherry element which is balanced by an exquisite and hard to find grapy component. Words cannot do justice to this wine. It must be experienced. We can assure you that if you do not experience this wine, it will be a tragic lost opportunity on your part. It is, in a word, enormous.