25 Great U.S. Pinot Noirs…plus 3
Love Pinot Noir? Just getting into it?
Then you need to read the latest excellent article on that most flirtatious of wines from Forbes wine columnist Nick Passmore who offers up "25 Great American Pinot Noirs" to his readers.
Nick takes on the really thorny question: Just what is the difference between California and Oregon borne Pinot Noirs. I like his answer. I’ll let you read the story to get at it.
But, what does Nick love about pinot? "Pinot’s magic, it’s irresistible charm, its
occasional flashes of brilliance, is its ability to combine in one
glass two seemingly mutually exclusive flavors.
Nick’s list of 25 great Pinots is a beauty. Prices range from $18 to $85. Eight of the wines come from Oregon. And I was very pleased to see him include three from Anderson Valley.
However, not wanting to be left out, I’ll offer up recommendations for some of my favorite Pinots:
For those loving BIG, bold, chewy Pinot
For those wanting balance and elegant Pinot
For those seeking appellation-defining Pinot
There’s a lot of great small-production wine coming out of the new coops in Oregon. Check out EIEO, made by Jay McDonald (get it?), who owns Carleton’s The Tasting Room. He’s doing a negociant biz- and using his connections for good fruit and his own palate to craft some amazing wines.