Grapevine: Uncorking affordable pinots
The popularity of pinot noir has never been greater, while merlot has seen its star fade dramatically, thanks mostly to a certain undeleted expletive in a certain wine-themed movie.
Personally, I think pinot’s allure has been a bit exaggerated, while merlot has taken it on the chin, though perhaps deservedly. In truth, both grapes go into far more mediocre wines than wines that are great, or even good. Merlot, traditionally a blending grape, rarely brings much to the party as a solo act.
Pinot noir, basking in the reflected glow of French Burgundy, revels in its reputation for elegance, finesse – the iron fist in the velvet glove, etc. etc. But behind all the blather is the harsh reality. Pinot noir is exceptionally difficult to ripen well, even in Burgundy. And when good bottles are to be found, they are astonishingly expensive.
A friend who owns a very successful wine shop recently shared with me an invoice for a couple of cases of a very rare Burgundy from the acclaimed 2005 vintage. The wines were retailing for well over $1,000 a bottle. Two cases of wine cost as much as a car. And customers were fighting for them.
Back here on planet Earth, is there any hope of finding decent pinot noir at a realistic price? Happily, the answer is yes – but you have to look hard for it.
Most domestic pinot noir is coming from California. There are plenty of bottles priced in the $10 or $12 range. But almost all of them taste like pinot noir flavored Kool-Aid. Worse yet, some of them aren’t even from California. Talus, for example, is making pinot noir from southern French grapes. Does it smell or taste anything like pinot noir should? Not even close.
In California, the better quality pinots generally cost $30 and more – much, much more. And even they lean toward sweet and jammy, fruit-driven flavors. Finesse? Not so much.
How about Oregon then? Oregon is supposed to be the New World’s answer to Burgundy, right? Well, if price is any indicator, it’s ramping up right along with those wily French. The more prestigious Oregon pinots are now priced at $80 to $100 a bottle; and it is not difficult to find some that are even higher. Not exactly fodder for a newspaper wine column.
Here are three Oregon producers who are putting out good juice at a fair price:
A to Z Wineworks was named the “Hottest Small Brand of 2006” by Wine Business Monthly, and has won such high-profile fans as Ellen Degeneres, who featured the wines on her show.
Beginning with just 2,500 cases in 2002, A to Z has grown to make 120,000 annually, still retaining the quality for which it was initially famous. Though it remains primarily a négociant (purchasing wines and blending them rather than using estate grapes to make their own), last year the company purchased Rex Hill Vineyards, an industry leader known for its single vineyard pinot noirs. The two brands complement each other beautifully.
The 2006 A to Z Pinot Noir ($20) begins with bright, sweet flavors of raspberry candy and Bing cherries. As it opens up, along come details of moist earth, minerals, flint and wisps of chocolate. Best of all, it has real pinot noir character. You can really feel that iron fist inside that velvet glove.
O’Reilly’s 2006 Pinot Noir ($15) tastes just as good, and is an even better value. In fact, this is hands-down the best value pinot noir made in Oregon. It’s firm and full-bodied, perfectly ripe, with lovely spices that range from pepper to cinnamon and allspice. The fruit lingers in the mid-palate, round and tangy, with flavors of cherry and plum. A thoroughly rich and satisfying wine that is big enough to work with dark poultry, salmon and even veal.
Behind Door No. 3 is Brandborg’s 2006 Bench Lands Pinot Noir ($22). It’s a perfect salmon wine, light in color and offering plenty of fresh, herbal flavors along with tart currant and cranberry fruit. It does not have the color or the density of Yamhill County pinots, but that makes it more suitable for a meal, and the herbal side of the wine is nicely matched to its juicy acids and tight tannins.
Meanwhile, back in Burgundy, there are, rather surprisingly, some pretty good deals being offered from the outstanding 2005 vintage. The no-frills Bourgogne pinots from some of the big domaines are delicious, and you can find them at prices that do not yet reflect the appalling fall of the dollar versus the Euro.
Try Faiveley 2005 Bourgogne Rouge ($17); Jadot 2005 Pinot Noir ($18); Bouchard 2005 Bourgogne Rouge ($20) and Drouhin 2005 Bourgogne Pinot Noir ($17). Get ‘em while you can.