Get to Know the Pinots -- Pinot Noir

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the least known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. Now let’s look at the most notable of the Pinots - Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir’s name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine refers to the shape of the tightly clustered, pinecone–shaped bunches of fruit, while noir (black) comes from the dark colored grapes.

Pinot Noir is probably best known as the “red” wine in Burgundy and least known as one of the three primary varietals in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine that is low in tannin. It’s also a favorite for the production of rosé wines and can also be found as a white wine!

Cluster of Pinot Noir Grapes

The most common flavors of Pinot Noir include cherry, cranberry and raspberry. But, its flavors tend to be highly dependent on terroir (i.e., where it is grown). Pinot is grown around the world and most notably in France, USA (California and Oregon), Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Because Pinot Noir has such delicate aromas, it is generally recommended that it be served in a large round bell-shaped glass. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Ultraviolet Sparkling Rosé

Ultraviolet Sparkling Rosé ($24.99)

This Ultraviolet sparkling rosé is from Poe Wines, in Napa, which was founded by Samantha Sheehan in 2009 after being inspired by the wines she tasted in Burgundy and Champagne. Their goal “is not to replicate Burgundy, but rather create alluring, vineyard specific, age-worthy wines revealing the beautiful terroir of California. There is minimal intervention, judicious use of sulfur, and never any additives.”

This sparkling Rosé is made from Pinot Noir grown at Manchester Ridge vineyard in Mendocino Ridge - 2000' above Anderson Valley. It is made in the Charmat method by allowing the still Rosé to ferment a second time in a closed pressurized tank for the bubbles to form.

This Ultraviolet sparkling rosé is a beautiful salmon color with a very delicate nose. On the palate it has wonderful flavors of raspberries and strawberries with a slight citrus note. It has a light sparkle from the fine bubbles, refreshing acidity and a hint of minerality on the finish.

This is a really nice dry sparkling rosé that’s a great fit for Behind the Cork™. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster 401 West Communications, STOMPY and Poe Wines

Behind the Cork™ - Merry Edwards Somona Coast Pinot Noir

Merry Edwards Sonoma Pinot.jpeg

2017 Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($48)

This Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir comes from six vineyards that include the 115, 667 and 777 blend of Dijon clones that originated in teh cool Burgundian region of France.

The 2017 harvest of these vineyards is described as “diminutive” and resulted in just 1700 cases being produced.

Merry states “This Pinot Noir shows off the virtues of grapes grown on the southernmost boundary of the Russian River Valley. Here the cooling influence of coastal fog allows the fruit to ripen slowly.”

This is an elegant and delicate Pinot Noir. It features wonderful red cherry, raspberry and cranberry flavors with luscious soft tannins with a long and easy finish.

I first came to love Pinot Noir from Sonoma and this Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is an excellent example of wines from this region. You won’t go wrong with this one. It’s wonderful. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Jill Schlegel of Merry Edwards Winery

Behind the Cork™ - Pfendler Pinot Noir

Pfendler Pinot Noir.jpeg

2018 Pfendler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($55)

Nestled in the hillside of Sonoma Mountain, Pfendler Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery. And this limited production Pinot Noir is a wonderful example of their excellence.

This is 100% Pinot Noir that underwent a five-day cold soak, followed by 48 hours warm-up to a spontaneous native yeast fermentation. Thus, spending 13 days on the skins for enhanced flavor. Native secondary fermentation is carried out in the barrel. It then spends 14 months in French oak, 50% of which was new oak.

Winemaker Erica Stancliff joined Pfendler just in time to complete the final blending of this 2018 Pinot Noir. She describes it as “Brilliant ruby in color, with luxurious aromas of black raspberry, plum, black tea, violets, herbs and tobacco. On the palate, flavors of blackberry, red apple, cherry, clove, baker’s chocolate are balanced by fine-grain tannins and long, layered finish.” Well said, indeed.

I found this Pfendler Pinot Noir to have aromas of cherry and raspberry with big, bright red cherry flavor, very soft tannin, noticeable acidity on the back-end and a very delicate, long-lasting finish.

This is a wonderful Pinot Noir from Sonoma’s Petaluma Gap that stands with the best. With only 250 cases being produced this may be difficult to find but well worth searching for. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Anika Crone, Jarvis Communications