As a wine grape, Pinot Noir is the bête Noire of its family, the Pinots—Blanc, Gris and Noir. Pinot
Blanc makes respectable wines from Alsace and Northern Italy; Pinot Gris, from the same places. But while
Pinot Noir grows more widely, it does so more unsteadily. In a sense, it is the Mae West of the Pinot family
trio. When it's good, it's very, very good. But unlike Mae West, when it's bad, it's as bad as bad gets.
Pinot
Noir mutates capriciously (over 230 strains exist, some polar opposites). It benefits from long, slow ripening, a
fillip, not the rule, in the cool areas where it best grows (Burgundy, say, or Oregon).
And its winemaker
must babysit it, in both the vineyard and especially in the winery. It is the wine world's most demanding grape.
But all who work with it succumb to 'Pinot envy' because no other wine displays Pinot Noir's combination
of power and tenderness. Power: persistence of flavor and aroma; waves of fruit. Tenderness: can't-feel-'em
tannins; voluptuous, silken texture.
If Cabernet Sauvignon is Rex Harrison—angular, high-toned—then
Pinot Noir is Jean-Paul Belmondo: sexy, smoky, smooth. If Sangiovese is Andy Garcia—sassy,
in-your-face—then Pinot Noir is Marcello Mastroianni: soft shoe, polished. If Zinfandel is Harrison
Ford—all-American, rough-and-tumble—then Pinot Noir is George Clooney: warm and approachable.
Pinot Noir is also cited as the candidate for the world's most food-friendly wine. For instance, it is the classic
'red wine with fish,' as anyone who has enjoyed grilled salmon with Pinot Noir can say.
But fickleness has
its price—literally. Most good Pinot Noirs do not come cheap, especially if they're Burgundian. Wines
mentioned here are available at Sam's Wines & Spirits.
One of the best Pinot Noirs at the price is the
yearly output from Napa Ridge ($7). Morgan turns out a consistently good Pinot Noir from its vineyards in
Monterey County ($20). And Oregon brings some elegantly styled Pinot Noirs to market year after year (Erath,
for example, in the $15 range).
Here are some other descriptions of super Pinot Noir from outside the U.S.
Les Caves de la Colombe Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir 2002 ($15): If ever there was a fickle grape, it is
the Pinot Noir, and if ever there was a cloudier appellation, it is Bourgogne Rouge (it simply means 'red
Burgundy'). It's best, when mixing these two, to follow reputable producers or labels. Simply classified
Bourgogne Rouge from a well-regarded name can be a terrific buy. Made in the lush, ripe style, with loads of
rich berry fruit. Its silky style is soft enough on its own, but it has the structure and balance to work with most
poultry dishes and rich seafood and salmon or halibut.
Drappier Carte d'Or Demi-Sec Champagne N.V.
($25): Drappier has produced Champagne since 1908. Their plantings are strong in Pinot Noir (70%), with
Chardonnay (15%) and Pinot Meunier (15%) making the balance. This is drier than many demi-secs, due in no
small part to its very snappy acidity (it finishes nearly dry). It tastes of pear and Golden Delicious apples, with
hints of honey and rosewater. Try it for a lighter dessert wine, with a macedoine of fruits or rhubarb-strawberry
pie. For cheese, go with Chaource or Le P'tit Severin.
Dugat-Py Bourgogne Rouge 2000 ($31): Producer,
in some views, of the best vin de garde Cote d'Or Pinot Noir after Domaine Leroy, Bernard Dugat specializes in
reds from in and around Gevrey-Chambertin. His vine parcels are all very old and severely pruned and, as a
result, the wines are deeply colored and full of extract—even a simple Bourgogne Rouge. Eat with beef or
turkey sandwiches or sautéed pork chops. Cheeses that would taste good include Saint Felician or Boursault
Vatan Sancerre Rouge 2000 ($20): André Vatan believes in low-yielding, rigorously pruned vines, planted
on the steepest slopes, that are denied but the minimal treatment, whose grapes are vinified in the most
ancient of ways (old, old barrels; one racking; no fining or filtration). The result is a Loire Pinot Noir that is
complex, subtle and long, responsive to its [italic]terroir [italic]. Have with pork or rabbit terrine, turkey cutlets, or
Le Peilloute chévre cheese.