Welcome to the continuation
of our new wine tasting series. We’re
going to explore the wonderful world of
wine – glass by glass. This series
will assist you in setting up your own
wine tastings. Whether you are a novice
or a seasoned wine aficionado, it’s
not enough to read about this stuff. To
truly appreciate and learn, you have to
get in there in taste. Hey, it’s
hard work, but somebody has to do it!
Riesling
Chardonnay
Syrah/Shiraz
and Old World vs. New World
Using Sauvignon Blanc to figure out oak
Pinot Noir is unique. Nothing
tastes quite like it. Whereas Cabernet
and Merlot have a lot in common, as do
Syrah and Grenache, Sangiovese and Tempranillo
– the cheese, in this case Pinot
Noir, stands alone.
Rarely blended, and produced
in relatively small quantities, Pinot
Noir is the diva of wine grapes. Temperamental,
demanding, picky, and with a thin-skinned
and fragile ego underneath it all, this
is a wine that makes grown men swoon.
Its most famous home is, of course, Burgundy
– where it is at its most divalicious.
Generally speaking, Pinot
Noir is known for being velvety smooth
and soft on the palate – there should
be no biting tannins here. This is a "light"
red wine – both literally (see its
translucent vivid garnet color) and figuratively.
Pinot grows best in cooler climates, including
Oregon’s Willamette Valley –
thought to be the most Burgundy-like climate
outside of Burgundy – and some of
the cooler coastal regions of California.
Even these California regions, however,
cannot produce quite as delicate a Pinot
as can the cooler regions – California
Pinot Noirs are generally riper and bigger,
with accordingly more oak and body.
Like most red wines, Pinot
Noir is typically oak-aged. But true to
form, Pinot is quite sensitive to oak,
and winemakers must take care not to "over-oak"
the wine and overshadow the fruit. Cabernet
and Merlot drinkers who are accustomed
to big, oaky wines may need to develop
a taste for these delicate, subtly-oaked
Pinot Noirs. Pinot is more about the fruit
than just about any other red wine. Classic
Pinot fruit notes include raspberry, red
and black cherry, and currant, with subtle
accents that often include spice, earth,
smoke, and herbs.
To get a feel for this remarkable
grape, we suggest trying Pinots from the
three main regions – Burgundy and
Oregon (for the cooler climate versions)
and Coastal California. As you may know,
Burgundy prices can be astronomical, and
it is difficult to compare a $200 Burgundy
to a $30 Oregon version, so we’ve
suggested a few solid, lower-priced Burgundies
for comparison’s sake. These are
still quite good wines – life’s
too short to drink bad wine! – but
they certainly aren’t those top tier
wallet-busters.
Be prepared for a terroir
wallop with the French wine – that
earthy smell and taste is supposed to
be there! Compare that to the "cleaner"
fruit and taste profile of the Oregon
wines. Which do you prefer? Finally, sample
the California versions and experience
how much stronger and in-your-face those
wines are. Not exactly a big Cabernet,
but definitely not as delicate as the
first two wines. Remember that this is
all about experiencing different wines
and identifying your preferences –
there are no right or wrong answers with
this! Here are a few wines to look for:
($28)
($24)
($16)
Note: 1999 was a
very good Burgundy vintage – you
should feel pretty secure buying anything
you see that fits your price range!
($25)
($17)
($30)
($20)
($22)
($20)
Cheers!
We've found that our guests really enjoy
the opportunity to "grade" the
wines. You can make it as casual or controlled
as you like. We tend to put out a pile
of our
tasting notes sheets and then encourage
our guests to take notes. Somewhere toward
the end of the evening -- or once everyone
has had time to taste the various wines
-- we like to have a little group discussion
of the favorites. It really is a lot of
fun to hear everyone's opinions of the
wines, and there are always some interesting
surprises.
The most important thing
is to have fun with your tasting party.
Branch out to wines that are new to you.
Don't worry about the results -- everyone
will have a great time participating in
the tasting. And be sure to let
us know which wines were the hit at
your party!
For details on our past
tasting party ideas - click
here.
