Pinot Noir.doc

8/14/2019 Pinot Noir.doc

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Pinot Noir

Pinot noir ("PEE-no NWAR") is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera.The na e ay a!so refer to wines prod ced predo inant!y fro pinot noir grapes. Thena e is derived fro the #rench words for "pine" and "$!ac%" a!! ding to the varieta!s&

tight!y c! stered dar% p rp!e pine cone shaped $ nches of fr it. Pinot Noir is oftendescri$ed as $eing a "diffic !t" grape' to grow' to dea! with in the winery' and to findtr !y great e a p!es of' $ t fans are passionate a$o t this variety.

History

Pinot Noir is an ancient variety that ay $e on!y -* generations re oved fro wi!dvines. +ince vines grew wi!d as far north as ,e!gi in the days $efore phy!!o era' it is

possi$!e that Pinot represents an independent do estication of Vitis vinifera - it certain!y!oo%s different fro the vines of so thern #rance' which ay represent a casian stoc%transported $y the ancient ree%s. Ancient Ro ans %new this grape as /e!venacia 0inor

and vinified it as ear!y as the first cent ry A1. Recogni2ed wor!dwide as a great winegrape' pinot noir has any a!ias and is grown in A!geria' Argentina' A stra!ia' A stria(ca!!ed ,!a $ rg nder or +p3t$ rg nder)' ,ra2i!' anada' roatia (, rg ndac)'

2echos!ova%ia' Eng!and' #rance' er any (+p3t$ rg nder)' reece' / ngary' 4ta!y(Pinot Nero)' 0e ico' New 5ea!and' +wit2er!and ( !evner' $ t !a$e!ed "1o!e" whenoften $!ended with a ay Noir)' and the 6nited +tates.

The rep tation that gets pinot noir so ch attention' however' is owed to the wines of, rg ndy (,o rgogne)' #rance. #or ost of wine history' this two- i!e-wide' thirty-

i!e-!ong stretch of hi!!s' ca!!ed the 7te d&8r ("+!ope of o!d")' is the on!y region toachieve consistent s ccess fro the pinot noir vine.

The 9 a!ity of ,o rgogne is d e to a n $er of factors. 4ts vineyards s!ope gent!y downtoward the East' providing the vines with !ong s n e pos re yet avoiding afternoon heat.The soi! there is very ca!careo s (cha!%y: containing ca!ci car$onate)' offering gooddrainage. We!!-drained soi!s have a higher average te perat re' which assists ripening.Pinot noir see s to ref!ect ore prono nced o t de Terroir' or f!avor of the soi!' thanother $!ac% grape types' a%ing vineyard site se!ection a critica! factor.

Production

1iffic !ties p!ag e pinot noir at every step' fro propagation to even its $ott!e-aging

characteristics. enetica!!y nsta$!e' the parent vine ay prod ce offspring that $ear fr itthat is nothing !i%e the parent&s in the si2e and shape of the $erry or c! ster and wi!!fre9 ent!y even have different aro as' f!avors and !eve!s of prod ctivity. There are ;>> c!ones of pinot noir wor!dwide. ,yco parison' ca$ernet sa vignon has on!y twe!ve identifia$!e c!ones.


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Near!y every aff!iction %nown to affect vines is co on a ong pinot noir vineyards.A!tho gh 9 ite to!erant of co!d c!i ates' it is partic !ar!y s scepti$!e to +pring frosts'

$eca se it is one of the ear!iest-!eafing varieties. The sharpshooter !eafhopper finds pinotnoir a perfect host. This $ g carries Pierce&s 1isease' which can destroy an entirevineyard in as !itt!e as three years. ?eaf-ro!! vir s is preva!ent in a! ost a!! pinot noir

p!antings over ten years o!d. The pinot vines are not very vigoro s and often !ac%ade9 ate !eaf cover to protect the fr it fro $irds' which do ch da age. Even if thegrapes s rvive the $irds' if not pic%ed pro pt!y at at rity' the thin-s%inned and tender

$erries shrive! and dry o t rapid!y res !ting in a raisiny aro a and ne tra! f!avor.

Pinot Noir is a!so one of the ore diffic !t wines to fer ent. Part!y d e to the presence of@ a ino acids' which are nat ra!!y $a!anced in this variety' Pinot Noir fer ents

vio!ent!y' often "$oi!ing" p and o t of its container' speeding the process o t of contro!.o!or retention is a a=or pro$!e for the thin-s%inned $erries. Pinot is very prone to

acetification (to t rn into' or ca se so ething to t rn into' acetic acid or vinegar) andoften !oses the so eti es pro ising aro as and f!avors it see s to disp!ay thro gh

fer entation and aging' as soon as it is $ott!ed.There is one co ponent in which Pinot Noir see s nat ra!!y 9 ite rich' three to fo rti es higher co pared to other varieties' especia!!y when it is grown in coo!er and oreh id c!i ates resveratro! (an antio idant present in any p!ants and p!ant prod cts'especia!!y in red grape s%ins). Whi!e this ay not affect the aspects of sensoryen=oy ent' it ay draw the attention of hea!th-conscio s cons ers.

Pinot Noir shows so e pro ise and has a possi$!e f t re in the Wi!!a ette Va!!ey of8regon' the 8%anagan Va!!ey of ,ritish o! $ia' and in New 5ea!and' a!tho gh a!! ay

prove to have growing seasons that are genera!!y too short and too h id for consistent!yo tstanding res !ts.

The pop !ar i age persists that a!ifornia Pinot Noir is a !ight' fr ity wine of noconse9 ence' $ t a!ifornia vintners over the past twenty years have $een i proving siteand c!ona! se!ections' vitic !t ra! ethods' and vinification techni9 es to increase theirrecord of s ccess. The no inees for ,est + pporting Appe!!ation in a!ifornia Pinot Noirare ch the sa e as for hardonnay +anta 0aria Va!!ey (+anta ,ar$ara o nty):R ssian River Va!!ey (+ono a o nty): arneros (in $oth +ono a and Napa o nties):Anderson Va!!ey (0endocino o nty): as we!! as the Pinnac!es (0onterey o nty) and'recent!y' +anta ? cia /igh!ands (0onterey o nty).

Pinot Noir is rare!y $!ended with other grapes' other than ha pagne' $eca se of itste pera enta! growth a$i!ity $ t is occasiona!!y is vinified as a rosB. 4t has igrateds ccessf !!y to coo!er c!i ates of the new wor!d' nota$!y the arneros district of

a!ifornia' where it !oses the earthy , rg ndian sta p $ t ac9 ires density and co!or'and !ess so to er any where' as +p3t$ rg nder' it is $are!y ore than a fresh rosB.


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Flavor

reat Pinot Noir creates a !asting i pression on the pa!ate and in the e ory. 4ts aro ais often one of the ost co p!e of a!! varieta!s and can $e intense with a ripe-grape or

$!ac% cherry aro a' fre9 ent!y accented $y a prono nced spiciness that s ggests

cinna on' sassafras' or int. Ripe to ato' shroo ' and $arnyard are a!so co ondescriptors for identifying Pinot Noir. 4t is f !!-$odied and rich $ t not heavy' high ina!coho!' yet neither acidic nor tannic' with s $stantia! f!avor despite its de!icacy. The

ost appea!ing 9 a!ity of Pinot Noir ay $e its soft' ve!vety te t re. When right' it is !i%e!i9 id si!%' gent!y caressing the pa!ate. Pinot does not have the !ongevity in the $ott!e ofthe dar%er red wines and tends to reach its pea% at five to eight years past the vintage.

Typical Pinot Noir Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors

Varietal Aromas/Flavors: Processing Bouquets/Flavors:

Fruit: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, ripetomato

Terroir: mushroom, earth, barnyard,tru le, leather, meat

Floral: violet, rose petal !a" #light$: vanilla, coconut, sweet wood

%pice: sassa ras, rosemary, cinnamon,caraway, peppermint

!a" #heavy$: oa", smo"e, toast, tar

&erbal: rhubarb, beet, oregano, green tomato,green tea, blac" olive

Bottle Age: cedar, cigar bo'

Food Pairing

A!tho gh Pinot Noir har oni2es we!! with a wide variety of foods' the $est atches toshow off the de!icacy and te t re of Pinot Noir are gri!!ed sa! on' a good c t of p!ainroast $eef' or any dish that feat res shroo s as the ain f!avor e!e ent. !assic#rench coo%ing has creations $ased on Pinot Noir' s ch as o9 a Vin (chic%en coo%edin red wine) ,oe f ,o rginon' and asso !et. 8ther ain dishes that atch we!! withPinot Noir inc! de roasted and $raised preparations of !a $' pheasant' and d c%' as we!!as gri!!ed eaty fish' s ch as sa! on' shar%' and swordfish. ,est are foods that are si p!eand rich. o easy on the spices' so e of which ay as% the de!icate f!avors of pinot

noir and genera!!y tend to accent ate the hot taste of a!coho!.

World's best wine

4n 8cto$er' *>>C' ,!air and Este!!e / nt (,a!d /i!!s vineyard in New 5ea!and' whostarted a%ing wine witho t any previo s e perience) $eat ;'C entries to win the

ha pion Red award in the 4nternationa! Wine ha!!enge' the wor!d&s $iggest $!indtasting. Their *>>D pinot noir has $een = dged the $est red wine in the wor!d this year and


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it was the first ti e a vineyard o tside #rance too% 1ecanter aga2ine&s top pri2e for $est pinot noir over >.+o e of the Pinot Noir offered $y N ?

Pinot Noir

C ; Antonin Rodet Pommard, , rg ndy' #rance F D>herry f!avors coat the pa!ate and e!t into a si!%y finish !aced with

hints of cocoa' vio!ets and orienta! spices.C * Argyle Reserve ' Wi!!a ette Va!!ey' 8regon' 6+A F ;@.>>

This Pinot Noir has a sed ctive rich' s per dar% r $y-vio!et co!or.The aro as ref!ect one&s e pectations of a coo! year' dar% co!oredPinot. Aro as !eap o t the g!ass with $!ac% cherry' $!ac% cherry!eather' and cedar' cedar s o%e with a ripping portion of cinna onspice' finishing off with a de!icate hint of vio!et f!ower patch.

C>; Etude Carneros ' a!ifornia' 6+A F .>>

With a rich and vivid h e' the *>>D Estate $ott!ing offers invitingand e pressive aro as of fr it spice' red fr its' inera!ity and asoft' earthy note. ,ea tif !!y str ct red' the pa!ate $ rsts with !iftedf!avors of $!ac% cherry' $!ac% p! and perf e. The ! sh fr itco $ined with the $a%ing spice notes fro aging in #rench oa%

$roadens the o thfee! and gives this f !! and rich wine definitionand !ength.

C*; Jean rivot Clos !ougeot First rowt" ' , rg ndy' #rance F ;.>>Aro as of cherries and wi!d straw$erry: e!!ow and refined: ripeand s cc !ent f!avors with good acidity.

C @ #ing Estate, 8regon' 6+A F ;*.>>Aro as of ripe cherry' pepper and toasty oa% !ead to a edi -

$odied pa!ate of $!ac% fr its' a id a fir fra ewor% of oa% andsi!%y tannins.

C>< $aetitia Estate ' Arroyo rande Va!!ey' a!ifornia' 6+A F ;*.>>Estate Pinot Noir shows an e!egant i of $!ac% cherry and p!fr it' !ayered with intense f!ora! notes and s $t!e n ances. ,a!ancedand co p!e ' the !ayers revea! f!avors of $!ac%$erry' cran$erry'wi!d shroo and d sty earth. P! sh and ve!vet te t red' thissty!ish Pinot ends witha !ong e ora$!e finish.

C*> $ouis Jadot %acc"us Reserve ' #rance F ;*.>>/ar onio s and $a!anced' with a p! p fr itiness and si!%y te t reoffset $y ro nd' gent!e tannins in a wine of edi $ody ande!egant str ct re. The fina! !ots are caref !!y chosen' and'depending on the vintage' aged for a n $er of onths in oa% cas%sto evo%e the c!ean' ripe red $erry f!avors and earthiness of the grape

e!!owed $y a s $t!e to ch of wood.C>@ Robert &ondavi, Napa Va!!ey' a!ifornia' 6+A F .>>

#!avors of dar% spicy p! s and $!ac% cherry' with decadentn ances of cinna on and c!ove: ! sh te t re.


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C** Roessler Red $abel ' +ono a o nty' a!ifornia' 6+A F D;.>>This de!icio s $!end of Pinot Noir fro severa! +ono a o ntyvineyards e hi$its c!assic aro atic 9 a!ities of R ssian River Pinota!ong with s $t!e toasty oa% and earth tones. ?ayered tannins

provide a so!id $ac%$one for co!a' forest f!oor' and !ight cherry

f!avors' c ! inating in a s pp!e finish. A!!ow it so e ti e to $reathe' and yo wi!! find that the aro as e p!ode with deep fr itro nded o t $y cinna on and choco!ate n ances' whi!e a crea y'a! ost $ ttery richness e erges on the pa!ate and the fr it deepensto dar% cherry and so e rasp$erry.

C > c"ug, arneros' a!ifornia' 6+A F ;*.>>Aro a of cherries' $erries and a hint of spicy new oa%: f!avors of

$right cherry' c rrant and straw$erry: spicy' s ooth te t re: e!egantfinish.

C>* (oungberg Hill &c&innville Natas"a %loc) ' 8regon' 6+A F D@.>> Natasha ,!oc% has a crisp te t re with !ight cinna on and spice

ndertones. 4t has attractive $! e$erry' rasp$erry and p! noteswith a hint of cherry pie. The f!avors are deep and f!ow fro $eginning to end with a finish of fresh = niper $erry. The tanninsare fine grained' yet sti!! a !itt!e tight. 4t was aged for twe!ve onthsin ne tra! #rench oa% $arre!s to !et the fr its 9 a!ities shine. ,est

paired with sa! on' white eats and cheeses.

Documents

Pinot Noir.doc