Faithful Pinot Noir

"In the spring," wrote Tennyson, "a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love." Indeed, this might be true for a young man. But for me, at middle age, my fancy turns to thoughts of other things, one of which is always Pinot Noir.

As I said in an earlier feature, no wine can seduce like Pinot Noir. A good one is typically more subtle than a big bold Cabernet or a hearty Zinfandel. It takes its time in the glass to tease you with its aromas before revealing its full bouquet. On the palate, it continues to allure you with its silky body and luscious fruit flavors of raspberry, strawberry, or black cherry. Yet it always leaves a little room for vanilla, or oak, or, when produced by the true French masters in Burgundy, its gout de terroir (the flavor of its provenance.) And after the last sip, you always want a little more.

Although Pinot Noir can be found in many of the world's great wine regions, I believe it's at its best in France's Burgundy region and in the United States in California, and perhaps even in Oregon.

Pinot Noir presents a challenge both to the grape grower and the wine maker. It requires a cold climate because it buds, as well as ripens, early. The early budding makes it especially vulnerable to spring frosts, and the early ripening, to fall rains. Moreover, because it presents itself in tightly packed bunches, it can be susceptible to rot. The final problem in the vineyard is that this varietal's yields are low. However, if yields are not controlled or the vines are improperly pruned, the grapes will produce thin wines. For the wine maker, vinification can present a challenge since the fermenting temperature must be closely monitored and adjusted for the vintage. If the temperature is too warm, the result will be stewed flavors; if too cold, the wine will be vapid and characterless.

Obviously, a wine that is so difficult both to grow and to produce will require the consumer looking for high quality to pay a lofty price. And many will, especially for Grand Cru Burgundies from extraordinary vintages. Although New World Pinot Noirs do not, and probably never will, command the prices that fine French Burgundies do, they are on a steady rise. In fact, I had planned to devote this month's feature exclusively to Pinot Noirs from California's Santa Barbara region. But even though my local wine store carried a good number of wines from producers in this area (for example, Byron, Foxen, Fess Parker, Sanford, Au Bon Climat, and Zaca Mesa) I was only able to find one under $20.00.

It seems that with Pinot Noir, you get what you pay for. Even though I've occasionally come across a domestic Pinot Noir in the $10.00 price range, more often than not they're lacking in character and tend to be monochromatic fruit bombs. Interestingly, I've found that the best values in Pinot Noir are the simple Burgundies (Bourgogne Rouge). Made from grapes grown outside the classified villages, they provide a great introduction to the varietal. They're often not as flashy or fruit forward as similarly or lesser priced domestic bottles, but they possess a lot of charm. In fact, they seem to epitomize the difference between the new- and old-world styles of wine making. They're not formula wines that vary little from vintage to vintage; they're not perfectly polished or fined like many California and Oregon Pinot Noirs. But they do have a lot of character and almost seem to revel in their imperfections. Moreover, their restrained style generally makes them perfect dinner wines.

At the table, Pinot Noir is one of the most flexible wines. I've always found it to be the perfect match for filet mignon, grilled lamb chops, and roast leg of lamb. Fuller bodied examples are wonderful with braised bistro dishes like coq au vin or cassoulet. In fact, I've also taken to serving fruitier examples with Thanksgiving dinner since they complement the turkey and stand up to all those side dishes and condiments. And now, in my more health-conscious fifties when fish, vegetables, and grains are vying with the dishes of my carnivorous youth, Pinot Noir has come to my rescue. It's the perfect wine for salmon and tuna, goes wonderfully with grilled vegetables, and stands up well to most lightly sauced pastas. Alas, one varietal still faithful after all these years.

One final serving note: Pinot Noir is a wine that really benefits from some breathing time. After pouring a small taste, let the bottle come to room temperature and breathe for about an hour for the nose to blossom and the flavors to develop.

As is our custom, we tasted the wines first by themselves and afterwards with food. The meal consisted of a roasted leg of lamb, seasoned only with salt and pepper and basted with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and mint leaves. It was accompanied by steamed asparagus and couscous with white raisins.

1999 Domaine Borgeot, Bourgogne ($14.99)
Garnet in color with good legs, this is classic red Burgundy. It has a subtle, deep nose of strawberry and mushroom. Light to medium bodied, with good acidity, it's well structured with very soft tannins. On the palate, it delivers dry, tart cherry and vanilla flavors that linger. It has a long, tart cherry finish. It was very good with the lamb and served as a counterpoint to the food. A star of this tasting. Imported by Vinifrance Imports, Inc., Arlington, VA.

1999 Robert Groffier, Bourgogne Passetoutgrain ($18.99)
This wine, a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, has a garnet color and long, thick legs. The nose is delicate with aromas of earth and black cherry together with some nuances of vanilla. Light to medium bodied, this wine is nicely structured, with good acidity and minimal tannins. It's full of black-cherry flavors with some hints of chalk and earth. The flavors linger on the tongue. It has a tart, earthy finish with adequate length. It was quite good with food. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wine, Inc., Syosset, NY.

1999 Domaine Michel Voarick, Pernand-Vergelesses ($19.99)
Deep ruby in color, with good legs, this wine has a deep nose of black cherry, wood, and some earth. It's still a bit closed. Nicely structured with well-balanced fruit and tannins, it's medium bodied and has good acidity for food. The flavors are reminiscent of dry, blue plums and black cherry offset by some mineral qualities. It has a nice dry finish, with oak and wild-cherry notes. A solid food wine, it went very well with the lamb. Imported by Fedway Associates, Inc., Kearny, NJ.

2000, Henri Bourgeois, La Porte du Caillou, Sancerre ($19.99)
This wine has a very light, pale, translucent garnet color. The legs are adequate. It has a bright fruit nose of strawberry, with cherry nuances. On the palate, it's light bodied, delicate, and dry and delivers tart-peach and strawberry flavors. The tartness lingers, but there's almost no finish to speak of. This wine was way too light for the lamb and would be better paired with grilled vegetables or even with grilled salmon. Imported by Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd., New York, NY.

2000 Treehouse, Pinot Noir, Pemberton ($14.99)
This Pinot from Western Australia is light garnet in color and has long, lush legs. The nose is forward and sweet, with raspberry and cherry aromas along with some tropical-fruit and smoke notes. Light to medium bodied, it delivers juicy, tart flavors of raspberry and cherry that linger. Tartness is the prevalent note. It has a silky mouthfeel and a long, tart cherry finish. It was a bit too light, however, for the lamb and would be better with salmon or roast chicken. Imported by Wine Source Selections, South Kearney, NJ.

2001 Angove's Classic Reserve Pinot Noir, South Australia ($9.99)
Light garnet in color with adequate legs, this wine has a violet and raisin nose with some forward nuances of straw. Light bodied, almost ethereal, it teases the tongue with short-lived flavors of raisins and tart cherries. The finish is also brief. "The lady vanishes," quipped one taster. This is definitely a backyard, summertime wine for sipping. There was too much raisin flavor for the lamb. Imported by Empson (USA) Inc., Alexandria, VA.

1999 Weingut Blankenhorn, Der Kus Spatburgunder - Rotwein QbA, Mauchener Sonnenstuck ($13.99)
Pale, translucent garnet in color, this German Pinot Noir has a rather atypical, sweet floral nose with rock-candy notes that one might associate with a rosé. On the palate, it's light bodied and fruity, with flavors of dry peach. The finish vanishes quickly. Another summertime wine. One taster thought it could be used to introduce blush and white-Zinfandel drinkers to more serious wines. Too light for the lamb, it might go better with ham. Imported by Wines for Food, New York, NY.

2000 Echelon, Pinot Noir, Central Coast ($9.99)
This California Pinot Noir is garnet in color and has nice, long legs. The restrained nose offers aromas of strawberry and burnt sugar. Two tasters found the nose briny and reminiscent of sea air. Light bodied, the wine is well balanced with soft tannins and good acidity. On the palate, it delivers dry cherry and strawberry flavors that lean towards tart. The flavors linger and the finish is tart and dry with strawberry notes. This wine improved considerably, and was at its best, when tasted with the lamb.

2000 Kenwood, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($14.99)
Light garnet in color, with plenty of legs, this wine is from Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. It has a pretty, forward fruit nose with aromas of raspberry and cherry complemented by burnt-sugar and floral notes. Light to medium bodied, it has a silky mouthfeel and delivers plenty of cherry and strawberry flavors that linger. Dry and well structured, it has supple tannins and good acidity for dining. It has a tart-berry and toast finish. It was good with the lamb.

1999 Frei Brothers, Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($18.99)
This wine has a ruby color and good long legs. The nose is attractive, with black-cherry aromas and some licorice notes. There's an underlying sweetness to it. Well structured with supple tannins and plenty of fruit, it delivers long lasting black-cherry and vanilla flavors with spice and licorice notes. The finish has plenty of length with nuances of sweet fruit and black cherry. It was a bit too bright for the lamb and would perhaps be better with beef or tuna. A star of this tasting.

1999 Benton Lane, Pinot Noir, Oregon ($19.99)
Garnet in color, this wine has long, dripping legs and an attractive nose of black cherry and spice. Light to medium bodied, it's well structured with good fruit, supple tannins, and adequate acidity. On the palate, it delivers dry, long-lived flavors of spice with nuances of tart strawberries. The finish is a tad short with wild-cherry notes. It stood up well to the food. Another star of this tasting.

2000 Purple Mountain, Pinot Noir, North Coast ($12.99)
Light garnet in color, with very good legs, this wine has a fruit and floral nose of wild cherry and roses. There are also some hints of sulfur. Medium bodied, with good acidity and mild tannins, it delivers sweet cherry and strawberry flavors. It has an adequate finish with jammy-fruit notes. It was one of the best wines with the meal and enhanced the lamb.

2000 Au Bon Climat, Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley ($19.99)
Opaque garnet in color, this wine has good legs and an attractive, inviting nose of earth complemented by raspberry notes. Medium bodied and dry, it is well structured with good acidity and soft tannins. On the palate, it delivers lingering black-cherry and earth flavors enhanced with spice and black-pepper notes. It has a good tart and spicy finish with raspberry nuances. It was good with the lamb.

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