by
Shannon Porter, Personal Wine Consultant with The Traveling Vineyard
With the upcoming Academy Awards, I thought it would be fitting to focus
on the wine that was made famous by the Academy Award-winning movie
Sideways – that noble grape of Burgundy, Pinot Noir.
The
origins of Pinot Noir began in the Burgundy region of France. In fact,
when shopping for a French Pinot Noir, it will be called Red Burgundy,
not Pinot Noir. The French label their wines after the region they were
grown in, not the varietal of grape as the Americans do.
Pinot
Noir is known as one of the oldest vines on earth. It is also known
as one of the most difficult – its thin-skinned berries are susceptible
to rot, disease, bugs – you name it. It is limited geographically
in that it thrives in cool-climate regions such as Burgundy and the
Northwest U.S. During the winemaking process it can often lose its color
or ferment out of control, thus adding to its unpredictability.
However,
Pinot Noir is also capable of producing some of the best wines in the
world; thus leading to its mystique and intrigue. The best examples
are earthy, spicy, supple, rich and complex, ruby in color and low in
tannins, yet relatively high in acids which make it a wonderful food
wine. Because of its delicate nature, Pinot Noir is not a blending wine
and should not be aged for more than eight years.
Though
Pinot Noir dates at least back to the Roman Empire, maybe longer, it
did not emerge in the United States until the late 1980s, early 1990’s.
Surprisingly, Oregon’s latitude, soil and climate closely mirror
that of Burgundy, and it has emerged as a New World leader in the variety.
Some areas of California such as the Russian River Valley, Carneros
and San Benito have also had good success with the varietal; due to
the cooling afternoon fog that permeates those areas. In Australia,
Pinot Noir is used primarily to make sparkling wines and in South Africa,
the signature red wine is from a hybrid of Pinot Noir and the Cinsaut
grape called Pinotage.
Sometimes
called the white red wine, Pinot Noir is a good choice when you want
a lighter red wine that pairs well with almost any food. If you’re
not sure what kind of wine would go well with what you are serving;
you usually can’t go wrong with Pinot Noir. It goes well with
chicken, duck, turkey, pork, lamb and even salmon. Or, have it with
grilled meats – white or red. It is especially good with mushroom
dishes that pick up the earthiness of the wine; or it is drinkable all
on its own.
Like
a small child, Pinot Noir can be difficult to raise, but the results
can be incredible when it finally matures.
Shannon
Porter is an independent wine consultant for The Traveling Vineyard.
She has been interested in wines since the 1980s and began conducting
in-home wine tastings in 2003. She has been featured in 5280 magazine
and to date has conducted over 200 wine tastings. For more information
call 303.888.9283 or visit
www.myttv.com/shannon5290
