Meats on the grill and Pinot vs. Pinot: Argentina vs. New Zealand With My Good Friend Carlos

The Pinot Noir grape has a reputation for being difficult to grow and even more difficult to produce into a great wine. Since I’ve never had the chance to grow or make a Pinot, I can only go by the variability in the quality of Pinot Noir at certain price points. Across the board Pinot Noir’s are the most unpredictable wines when it comes to quality and value. Generally speaking, you have to spend two to three times more than you would for any other wine to get a good Pinot Noir.

With this in mind, Kim and I invited our friend Carlos (pictured above with Kimmy, and his leg is pictured next to the food below!) to come over, sit outside on the gravel that is our patio under renovations, and drink a few Pinots in the blind format. We wanted to evaluate the wines on their own, as well as with a variety of foods. I fired up the grill and threw on some lamb rib chops, a porterhouse steak, and a spicy marinated duck breast, as well as sides of pancetta-wrapped asparagus and spicy marinated eggplant. Overall the food went well with all three wines. Read more

“Cellar Notes” on WYPR: Great programming, but not always great advice!

As a PhD student, I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer that is attached to electrophysiology equipment, a big microscope equipped with a CCD camera, and a giant laser used to stimulate neurons in rat brain tissue. I spend hours and hours recording electrical activity of neurons with the hope that I’ll positive data so I can graduate some time before the 2005 Bordeaux’s are at their peak (in the next 20-40 years). The advantage to my day is that I can listen to music, podcasts, and watch videos while my experiments are running. Most of the day, though, I am just simply listening to National Public Radio (NPR) trying to keep up on the news, politics and other things going on in Baltimore and the rest of the world.

I think it’s fair to say that I’m slightly addicted to NPR. I listen at all hours of the day and night and home. I am really impressed with our local NPR station (WYPR in Baltimore). One program I really enjoy is a short (5 minutes or so) segment called Cellar Notes. Each day around 5:30 PM Al Spoler and Hugh Sisson discuss wine topics ranging from wine pairing advice and wine events, to recently to the new up and coming varietal.I really enjoy and appreciate the programming, and try to catch it at least a few times a week. I think it’s a great way to get people excited about wines and is very informative and well produced.

In the last few weeks though, two comments were made that I completely disagree with. One, involving American Pinot Noir versus those of Burgundy. The second, being a comment on foods that go better with beer (rather than wine).

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MD Cru February 2008 Recap: Traditional Pairing of French Cuisine and Big Cali Wines!

On Sunday February 24, 2008 the MD-Cru (previous events: Big Wines, Chateauneuf du Pape) met up for it’s monthly gathering of friends, new and old, to talk wine, catch up on politics, and drink a few bottles of wine with a light meal. This month’s venue was familiar to many of us in the “Cru” - Cafe de Paris in Columbia, Maryland with the wine theme familiar to any serious wine enthusiast: California Wine.

When I say “few bottles of wine”, I mean 20 outstanding wines, including 2 barrel samples from Stefania Winery. And by a “light meal” I mean onion soup, fois gras, ratatouille on crustini, ribeyes, lamb chops and duck breast finished off with decadent chocolate moouse and other delectable desserts. Classic French Cuisine with the traditional pairing of big Cali wines…at least we started the evening with Champagne!
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TN: Burrton Pinot Noir - Sonoma 2004

Burrton 2004 Pinot Noir - Sonoma - $24- Decanted and poured. Bright, light ruby in color. Nose of sour/black cherry, dark raspberry, cinnamon, misc spices. Good balance on the palette with more raspberry and a touch of rhubarb. Light in style, with a touch of minerals and a medium, refreshing finish and mild tannins. Got better over an hour and a half. Good value Pinot from Sonoma. My rating: 90 pts, VGV (Very good value).

TN: 2004 Calera Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard

Bottle opened 1 hour before serving. I had high hopes for this low production, highly sought after Pinot. The color was a beautiful dark purple and graciously swirled around the glass. The nose was exploding with fresh cherry, dark raspberry, violet and a touch of sweet wood. On the palate, the wine showed good fruits, but I had expected a bit more complexity of flavors. A bit tight perhaps? Good balance, medium tannins and brief touch of spice led to a medium finish. Overall good, may be better in 2010 or later. Served with Thanksgiving Turkey (me carving the turkey at Dave’s house, Calera Pinot to the right). My rating: 90 pts

Tasting Notes: Miscellaneous French Wines

Domaine Ehrhart Pinot Auxerrois 2004 - $16: Nice floral nose, notes of minerals and pear with good acidity. My rating: 85 pts

Domaine Marc-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2005 - $80: Flower notes on the nose with peach, citrus and mineral notes. Complex and elegant, good fruits and spice with a touch of jasmine and honey. Good structure with crisp acidity and refreshing mineral notes. Lingering finish, very good. My rating: 90 pts

Alberto Furque Malbec 2004 - $14: Dark cherry, plum, leather, solid early with rough tannins in the finish that fall off. My rating: 84 pts

Domaine Foret de Michielle, Confidentia Cotes du Rhone Villages - $20: Cane syrup, caramel, light tar, blackberry, plum, medium tannins not perfectly balanced but overall good. My rating: 85 pts

Mas des Bressades, Grenache/Syrah 2006 - $12: Great nose nice fruits, reminiscent of a Touriga Franca based wine. Rolling flavors of plum, red fruits and spice with good tannins and a subtle, but long finish. Great value wine. My rating: 88 pts

Domaine Chauvenet Chopin, Nuits St. Georges, 2004 - $54: Earthy tones, leather, medium tannins, interesting fruits, black cherry, lovely. Bought a few bottles and look forward to trying them in a couple years…should improve with age. My rating: 91 pts

Andre Brunel Chateauneuf du Pape, Les Cailloux, 2004 $45 - 90 pts: Great nose, black cherry, pepper, spice with overall well defined fruits. Balanced with medium tannins that should even out with aging. Lean but lasting finish. My rating: 90 pts

Two Sonoma Coast Pinot’s From the 2005 Vintage

A recent blind tasting of these two well-known producers of high quality Pinot Noir left me with the following impressions (note that both are around $50):

Flower’s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - 2005 -Cherry and raspberry nose with spice and minerals with floral notes. On the palette was flavors of black cherry, toasted oak and licorice, with hints of raspberry. Well balanced wine with medium tannins finish quickly with lingering minerals. Good, although would be a better value at $30. My Rating: 89-90 pts

Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - 2005 - Dark garnet color in the glass with a clear hue. Black cherry, plum, lavender nose with hints of spice. The wine is quite complex on the palette with solid dark berry fruits, a das of sage and vanilla, and a touch of minerals. Light tannins with comparable acidity that give the wine great balance and structure. Best maybe in 3 or 5 years. Very good wine and definitely worth the money. My rating: 92 pts

I still like Oregon…

This past weekend I was home in Michigan visiting my family again. A last-minute trip led to an amazing opportunity - the chance to watch the Michigan Wolverines play the Oregon Ducks live in the second game of this new college football season. Even more exciting was the location of my seat…well, I guess technically I didn’t have a seat because I was on the Michigan sideline for the whole game with an all-access field pass (thanks Dave!). Regardless of how bad Michigan played, this will go down as one of the most memorable sporting events in my lifetime.  (for a great Michigan Football website see my friends website: UMTailgate.com - he’s been to 95 straight Michigan games both home and away!).

The game itself was rather boring from a Wolverine point-of-view. We took an early lead, but ended up taking the worst loss in Michigan football in 40+ years. Our defense was pathetic and after the first half, our “Heisman-candidate” quarterback Chade Henne did not return from the locker-room. After the game I spoke with some Oregon fans about their team and somehow the conversation shift to Oregon wines.

Do I really hate Oregon? Not a chance. The fans were some of the nicest and classiest I’ve met and it was a pleasure talking with them all. I may not be happy that their football team just handed Michigan the most embarrassing loss of my lifetime, but I still respect their program and more importantly, the wines from the state of Oregon. With over 350 wineries in the state, Oregon produces some of the best wines in the US and some of the best Pinot Noir in the world.

The University of Oregon is situated in the city of Eugene, two hours south of Portland. The Willamette Valley, one of Oregon’s many impressive wine-growing regions begins just south of Portland and spans just beyond the city of Eugene. The Willamette valley is well known for the high quality Pinot Noir being produced in recent years. The wines resemble those of Burgundy - a tribute to the outstanding terroir (mild winters, warm summers, little rain during the growing season, ideal soil conditions) in the Valley regions (Dundee Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and the Yamhill-Carlton District.)

Pinot Noir from Oregon has been popular in recent years which has had an effect on the prices. Although many great Pinot’s can be found for less than $20, many quality wines are $30 or more. I’ve put together a list of some wines that I feel exemplify the style and class of what Oregon Pinot Noir is known for.

• Panther Creek Pinot Noir Shea Valley (2005)
  
• Lemelson Pinot Noir, 2005, Williamette Valley
• Alloro Pinot Noir “Fattoria” (2006) - $19
• Boedecker Cellars Pappas Wine Company Pinot Noir (2005) - $18 - Lively, eccentric…well defined dark fruits with subtle spice and oak notes. Great value wine. My rating - 89 pts.
• Patton Valley Pinot Noir (2005) - This well priced Pinot ($25) is full of vibrant fruits and subtle spice. Very well balanced wine. A great buy. My Rating - 90 pts
• Dusky Goose Pinot Noir (2005) - Dark fruits, cherry, spice, hint of toast and vanilla with a buttered oak finish. Great now will only get better in the cellar. My rating - 90 pts
• Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance Reserve (2006) - This first attempt at a reserve is simply stunning. Nose is blackberry and dark sour cherry with floral notes. The oak is subtle, buttery and amazing. Wound up a bit, but in 3-5 years may be exceptional. Pricey at around $70, but worth a try. My rating - 92 pts

Despite the big loss for us Michigan fans, here are 7 great reasons to still like Oregon.

Bin 604 Pinot Noir Tasting Recap - August 23, 2007

This week’s tasting titled “Perfectly Pinot Noir” offered a wide variety of Pinot’s from around the world. The selection was quite diverse, with a few very good bottles at good prices. Below are a list of the wines we tasted, with notes and retail pricing.

1. Domaine de Regusse Pinot Noir, Provence, France, 2006 ($9.99) This Pinot comes to us from Southern France. It was very light, with raspberry and cherry notes, as well as some strawberry that came out on the finish. Not much structure or body, but drinkable. - My rating: 83 pts

2. The Jibe Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2006 ($15.99). Marlborough is well known for quality Sauvignon Blanc and is recently making a statement in the pinot noir production. This 2006 pinot has nice acidity and some interesting fruit notes consisting of cherry, strawberry, and a hint of vanilla. The pepper and earth tones were nice, but not well integrated with the rest of the wine. Overall, I thought it was OK, but Kim really enjoyed this one. -My rating: 85 pts

3. Capitain Gagnerot Ladoix, Burgundy, 2005 ($25.99) - The only pinot on our list from Burgundy, this 2005 was very good. The fruits were distinguished and complex, with a light mineral undertone and mild acidity. The finish was very elegant and memorable. An excellent value of a great vintage Burgundy! My rating: 92 pts.

4. J. Hoffstatter “Meczan” Pinot Nero, Alto Adige, Italy, 2005 ($21.99) . A very good example of the pinot noir grape with good berry and cherry fruits and a fine texture. Complex and elegant, fresh, intense and quite satisfying - all from a region better known for it’s white wines! My rating: 91 pts.

5. Lemelson Pinot Noir, 2005 ($35.99) - From the well-known Willamette Valley in Oregon, this pinot provides a good example of a well integrated and structured wine. Mild oak, crisp, mild acidity paired with cherry, plum and vanilla notes. Spices appear on the finish that outline the earthieness and texture quite nicely. Maybe overpriced, but it’s very good. -My rating: 89 pts.

6. Cambria Pinot Noir “Julia’s Vineyard”, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($21.99) - I didn’t have much written down about this basic pinot from the Santa Maria Valley. There was some nice spice notes, with strawberry and cherry, but it was rather unremarkable. My rating: 84 pts.

7. William James “Gary Ranch Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($35.99). In the glass the William James Pinot is very pleasant with outstanding color and a very impressive bouquet of pomegranate and cherry, as well as floral notes. Smoky and expressive, the velvety texture leads into layers of herbs, cherry and pomegranate. The alcohol content is perfectly matched with the acidity and the tannins, leading to an outstanding finish. The wine took some time to open up and will definitely only get better in the bottle for a few years. - My Rating: 90 pts

8. Dierberg Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($44.99). Our third wine in a row from the Santa Maria Valley, this 2005 Dierberg was a bit bigger than the others. The dark cherry and raspberry nose showed hints of lavender. Good acidity with silky and complex tannins, the wine took some time to open and may do well in the bottle for another couple years. -My rating: 89 pts

Toulouse Vin Gris Rose of Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley (2006) - $20

Rose’s are trendy right now for good reason: they can be great.  From the Anderson Valley, the Toulouse (pinot noir) rose has nice complexity of sweet and spice. Strawberry, watermelon and smoke full the palette while a touch of minerals balances everything nicely. It’s a great, refreshing rose that would be a treat on a warm summer evening.

“The Toulouse Vineyard is located in the heart of Anderson Valley in Philo, 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean and two hours north of the Golden Gate Bridge along Highway 128. The vineyard elevation ranges from 400 to 600 feet. Gravelly Pinole soil facilitates deep-seeking roots, with excellent drainage. The climate and daily weather patterns are ideal for quality Pinot Noir. Summer temperatures can reach highs in the 90’s, but afternoon ocean breezes and occasional fog cool the valley and refresh the fruit with nightly lows in the 50’s, creating the perfect sugar/acid balance in the grapes. “

Cono Sur (2006) - A nice Chilean Pinot for under $10

Wow. Black cherry, strawberry, and a bit of pepper invite you into the smoky, complex, big body. The wine had ideal acidity and even with its high alcohol content, was rather soft. A long finish kept satisfying, even when the bottle was empty!

My rating: 87 pts

More information:

http://www.conosur.com/

Panther Creek Cellars 2002 Pinot Shea Valley - $40

Thank you Dr. Karson! And by that I am referring to Dr. Martha Karson, the mother of our very own Dr. Miranda Karson. I know it’s confusing, what isn’t confusing though is the quality of the wines that Martha (seen outlined below!) has introduced Miranda and (vicariously) me to. Martha, a clinical psychologist by training, works in the tasting room at Panther Creek vineyards. She often visits Baltimore and with her visits come many bottles of Panther Creek wines.

Recently, Dr. Karson (Miranda) brought over a bottle of the 2002 Panther Creek Pinot Noir Shea Valley, and it was quite a treat. For specific tasting notes, I offer the details from the website: “Panther Creek is able to choose some of the best vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley, contracting certain blocks, which yield the highest quality grapes. Shea Vineyard is such a site, superbly suited for Pinot Noir. The wines are floral, very fruit forward Pinot, offering early accessibility for a single vineyard wine, yet with significant aging capability. The grapes are typically thinned at veraison to nearly half the normal yield, in order to produce the most concentrated flavors in the fruit.”

This 2002 was very good.  Floral notes in the bouquet with dark cherry notes and a touch of lavender.  Great structure through the finish with good acidity and moderate tannins.  Overall well done.

If you have a chance to get a hold of a Panther Creek wine, then I suggest by all means you do! They are a real treat, and at a very reasonable price! For more info, just head to McMinnville, Oregon, and ask for Dr. Karson! (http://www.panthercreekcellars.com)