The first fine French wines were made by the Greeks in 600 B.C. in Marseilles. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the fifth century A.D., fine winemaking raced through France, ultimately becoming a unique and haunting art form in Burgundy.
Back in the 1980s, during one of my wine trips to California for John Byron’s restaurant, I asked one of my winemaker friends about Pinot Noir. He looked skyward and sighed with mixed feelings. Pinot Noir has always been known as a finicky grape with its thin skin and demanding growing conditions. Dealing with it can be a huge feat, as it needs sunlight, cool temperatures, the right amount of rain and the correct soil (some winemakers prefer limestone or shale, which makes the vines work harder).
In 1961, sharp winemakers such as Dave Adelsheim (now of Adelsheim winery) and Steve Girard (formerly Girard winery in Napa and now Benton Lane in Oregon) moved to Oregon en masse, regarding this new territory as a vinous Gold Rush. They particularly liked that the middle of Oregon boasts almost identical growing conditions for Pinot Noir as that in Beaune, France, home of some of the world’s most prized Burgundies. The upstart wineries, caught up in their bold-new-frontier mentalities, kept tinkering and adjusting, producing finer wines each year.
Pinot Noir is an excellent beginning wine for those who want to experiment with red wines. Its softness, roundness and fruitiness are most beguiling to many, and if you’re looking for a good price/value candidate, I’d suggest you pick up a bottle of Cavit Pinot Noir from Italy. It is widely available at retail stores and won’t cost you a mortgage payment.
Now on to a tasting of a selection of many of Oregon’s nicely made and not-too-dearly priced Pinots. I’ve assigned grades on an “A”-“F” scale. Most of these are available at Jeff’s in West Bend, Otto’s, Grasch’s or Sendik’s:
1. Johan 2007 – Nils Reserve, $42: 240 cases made. Medium ruby color. Deep, flowery nose overlaid on fairly heavy body. Long finish with a touch of bitterness and tannic acid. C-
2. King’s Ridge 2008, $16.99-$17.99: Considered a perfect vintage, but I found it to have medium body, a rich nose with hints of violets and a tad of bitterness. C-
3. Domaine Coteau 2007 Eola Hills, was $30, now $19.99. Also available at Nehring’s Sendik’s and Discount Liquor. Dean Sandifer, a retired engineer for Boeing, is the owner/winemaker. Light ruby color with a complex nose and some depth. Needs some air, and improved with time into a nice Burgundian finish. Not bad for price. C
4. Chalahem 2007, $27.99-$30: Brick/ruby color, medium body and a lightly Burgundian nose. Medium depth with a dry, slightly acidic finish. Air helped. B-
5. Johan Estate 2007, $25: Light/medium body. Deep, rich nose with classic Burgundian notes. Good fruit and body. Great for a rocking chair. B
6. Expression 44 2008, $35 originally, now $25: Dark ruby with medium body and a nice, subtle nose with spicy notes. Clean, rich and complex with spice continuing as I sampled it. Excellent! B+
My winners were Expression 44 2008 and Johan Estate 2007. Cheers and happy 2010!
