The Proliferation of Pinot
The proliferation of Pinot Noir along the West Coast has created a lot of confusion as the fruit of vineyards, young and old, are used to make myriad styles of wines. It can be almost maddening trying to track down a style one likes while sifting through the seemingly endless Single Vineyard Bottlings that each producer seems to be bottling.
While many vineyards and regions do indeed have their own character this frenzy for variety may not always be the best route to take. In addition, the tendency to produce a Pinot Noir that is over-ripe, over extracted and over oaked has hampered the ascendency of West Coast Pinot.
While it may sometimes seem that one plods through an eternal line of suspect bottles of Pinot in search of the great outlier there are, in fact, distinctive, intriguing wines being produced in both Oregon and California. While we tend to look for slightly different traits from each state's production, brighter and earthier from Oregon, round and fruit driven from California, there are always surprises that challenge these preconceived notions.
Oregon's Distinctive Offerings
California's Classic Pinots
Our Global Tasting initiative moves on to Tempranillo this week so stay tuned for some great offerings from both California and Spain as we explore this Iberian gem in all its glory. Hasta la vista!
