Winery: Willamette Valley Vineyards
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
A few weeks ago, I received several bottles of wine from Willamette Valley Vineyards. I decided to sample two of the bottles of Pinot Noir at similar price point and compare them. I used the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir (selling for $25.00 from the winery) and the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2008 Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir (selling for $19.00 from the winery).
Pinot Noir has always been hit and miss with me, but I’m trying to develop a greater appreciation. I find a bottle that’s a winner, but the next one I taste is a dud. I’ve always been a Cabernet lover, but once you taste how special Pinot Noir can be, it’s unforgettable. It also leaves you searching for the next bottle of greatness. As cheesy as it is, I love the description from Paul Giamatti’s character, Miles, in Sideways.
“It’s a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It’s uh, it’s thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It’s, you know, it’s not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it’s neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they’re just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and… ancient on the planet.”
I’ve always focused more on wine regions outside the United States. It’s not that I don’t like American wines, but I find foreign wines and labels more of a challenge. I also feel I have a better understanding of American regions, climates and all the things that go with them than I do of other places such as South Africa, France and New Zealand. However, I decided I needed to take a look at some of the wine regions closer to home.
The Willamette Valley is Oregon’s leading wine region. Nearly two-thirds of the state’s wineries and vineyards call the Willamette Valley home. It is the largest American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Oregon, covering 3,438,000 acres. The Willamette Valley has become a premier producing region for Pinot Noir in the United States.
Winery: Domaine Saint-Martin
Wine: 2005 Burgundy
Location: Marsannay, Côte d’Or, Burgundy, France
Purchased: The Corkscrew
Price: $24.99
Pinot Noir has always been hit and miss for me. I’ve sampled great Pinot Noir at wine tastings, purchased a bottle only to get it home and discover it tastes completely different. I guess you could say I have a love hate relationship with this varietal. I’ve tasted Pinot Noir wines that I thought were fabulous and others I wanted to forget as soon as I took a sip. Domaine Saint-Martin was a Burgundy to remember.
Winery:Fritz Allendorf Winkel
Wine: Riesling 2008
Location: Rheingau, Germany
Purchased: The Corkscrew
Price: $11.99
Over the past few months, Jonathan and I have sampled several dry Rieslings, and it’s one varietal that we’ve both started to develop an appreciation for. We’ve started to keep a bottle or two on hand, whereas before we’d have to run to the store if we planned something that paired well with Riesling. In particular, we love pairing Riesling with spicy ethnic foods like Thai and Indian. Most of the Rieslings we’ve sampled have been from the Alsace region in France, but this dry, German Riesling caught us by surprise. So much so that we purchased another bottle this past weekend.
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