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For our very first wine tasting, we wanted to lure people in by choosing a varietal that we already knew our friends liked to drink and then impressing them with some bottles that would defy their expectations. Pinot Noir was an obvious choice.
We kicked things off with a ritual sniffing of some items whose aromas are associated with Pinot: plums, strawberries, blackberries, leather, smoky beef jerky, and wet soil. Once Jennifer got off a long tangent on the meaning of sous-bois, six tasters were ready to take a journey from Oregon to California to Burgundy in five bottles.
We didn't quite have our act together as far as making dinner this time out, so the post-tasting meal consisted of charcuterie and pizza. We do better next time on that front, so stay tuned for more food talk in Volume Two: Merlot.
Bottle 1: Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley, OR ($19.99)
Rank Amateurs Said: clear ruby color, strawberries, cranberries, and anise in the nose, bright acidity, light-medium body, short finish, "like homemade wine my friend's dad makes, in a good way"
In a Word: Strawberries
Paired with Food: Fruit balances out saltiness of pizza and dried sausages
Bottle 2: Eyrie Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2007, Willamette Valley, OR ($35)
Rank Amateurs Said: ruby color and can see it's unfined and unfiltered, dust, black pepper, black raspberry, and herbs in the nose, smoked meat, earth, medium acidity, medium body, lingering finish
In a Word: Earthy
Paired with Food: Balance of fruit and earthier flavors made it a great match for the charcuterie, bringing out nuances in both
Bottle 3: Robert Sinskey Vineyards Pinot Noir Los Carneros 2007, Napa Valley, CA ($38)
Rank Amateurs Said: dark ruby color, meat, cherries, raspberries, and earth in the nose, medium acidity, slight vanilla note, medium body, long finish
In a Word: Balanced
Paired with Food: Another great partner for the charcuterie, also pulled flavors in mushroom-topped pizza
Bottle 4: Michel Gay et Fils Chorey-Les-Beaune 2005, Burgundy, France ($24.95)
Rank Amateurs Said: garnet color, wet earth, old leather, smoke, and black pepper in the nose, mocha, black fruit, medium acidity, light-medium body, finish
In a Word: Classic
Paired with Food: Good match but some more subtle flavors were overwhelmed by charcuterie
Bottle 5: Misserey Nuits-St-Georges Les-St Georges Premier Cru 1990 ($65)
Rank Amateurs Said: tawny color, wet hay, smoke, mocha, and dark fruit in the nose, coffee, goat hair, cheese, fresh vegetables, leather, medium acidity, medium body, silky tannins, long finish
In a Word: Complex
Paired with Food: Worked, but most wanted to keep sipping it alone as it evolved over a few hours on the table
Links
Willamette
Valley Vineyards
The Eyrie Vineyards
Robert Sinskey Vineyards
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