Is it Pinot Noir time?

On its next release on September 28, Vintages is featuring Pinot Noirs from Oregon and Ontario.

Pinot Noir is the grape that produces France’s great red Burgundy wines, and it thrives in climates that have cooler, longer growing seasons.  Ontario is well-suited, especially in that the limestone soils of our growing region correspond well with what is found in Burgundy. The American west coast also is a big production area, most particularly in California’sSonoma County with its proximity to the Pacific, and then further north in Oregon. 

Today, the United States, with over 70,000 acres of Pinot Noir, has almost as many acres of it as does France.

Pinot Noir has been called the “heartbreak grape” because it can be difficult to grow and is thin-skinned and prone to disease; however, it can make some of the most prized wines in the world.

Wine Folly, in trying to distinguish the general characteristics of Pinot Noir from different regions suggests that Burgundies are generally herbaceous and light with earthy aromas accompanied by violet and fresh cherry. It suggests that “California Pinot Noirs are bigger, lush and more fruit-forward. Look for flavours ranging from sweet black cherry to black raspberry and secondary aromas of vanilla, clove, coca-cola, and caramel.”

When we head up to Oregon, we are told to expect wines that are a bit lighter than those from California, and a bit more tart – moving more towards the model associated with Burgundy. Ontario examples would tend in this direction, too.

In price, classic Burgundies can easily cost up to several hundred dollars, but we can find decent examples in the $30 range, and quite acceptable ones for $10 less.

Here are some already on our shelves. From Ontario, we have Angels Gate Pinot Noir 2017 at $18.95, on the regular list, and both the Tawse Growers Blend Pinot Noir 2016, $23.95 and the Hidden Bench Organic Pinot Noir 2017, $31.95 in Vintages.

Generally, good Pinot Noirs receive some oak treatment, but it is judicious, with only a third of the barrels or less being new oak. With the Angles Gate, the nose is lovely giving off a classic whiff of earth (sometimes referred to –positively – as ‘barnyard’!) along with tart cherry and roses. It is a moderately-light wine with gentle but persistent fruit, good texture, and the lightest and most silky tannin on the finish.

From the Tawse, we can expect delicate “spice, cedar and raspberry on the nose”, tangy flavours of “currant, pie cherry and passionfruit” on the palate, according to winecurrent.com -90.

The Hidden Bench is beautifully crafted. Some juice was bled off at the beginning to concentrate the skin to juice ratio and increase the flavours. The result is a very polished wine with a delicious core of dark cherry and raspberry fruit along with earthy and vanilla spice notes. There is great texture and finesse here.

The excellent Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2017, $29.95, is also featured on the September 28 release.

A couple of relatively inexpensive general-list California Pinots are the Chateau St. Jean from Sonoma and Gnarly Head, which blends fruit from Lodi, Monterey, and the North Coast. Both are from the 2017 vintage. The former is currently $2 0ff at $18. Fruit-forward, there are suggestions of cranberry and other red berry flavours, and the texture is soft, creamy and light.

The Gnarly Head carries more of that power we might expect from California, particularly with fruit grown away from the coast. On the nose and palate we can find plum and deep, ripe cherry accompanied by the effects of oak along with a touch of smoke, cedar, and earth.

From Oregon, we can find some wines already in Vintages.  Westmount Pinot Noir 2015, $19.95, is surprising in its refinement and elegance for a wine at this price point. There is good concentration of juicy, ripe fruit and balancing tannins with a smoky, meaty note towards the end.  

The 2016 Domaine Drouhin will be a cut above at $37.95. This family has extensive holding in Burgundy and has decided that Oregon is a perfect place to carry on in the new world, too. James Suckling wrote, “Incredible clarity and purity of dark red cherries on the nose here. This is a stunning young pinot. The palate has a very plush, fleshy and concentrated core of rich black cherries with toasty oak spice overlaid. Long, noble tannins. This is exceptional. Drink or hold. Score - 96.”

Moving farther afield, you can seek out the Cigar Box Pinot Noir, just $12.75, or the Ritual Pinot Noir 2016, $21.95, both from Chile. I have recommended the former from the regular list before. The latter has been described by James Suckling as high toned and focused with a medium to full body and long-lasting, vivid fruit reminiscent of strawberry, lemon and cherry – 93.

Moving on to the September 28 release, here are a few more to tempt you.

Oregon’s Foris Rogue Valley Pinot Noir 2017, $24.95, seems to hit on all the right notes, with an earthy note accompanying the fruit and rose petal on the nose. The flavour is ample for a Pinot, with the expected cranberry/raspberry and cherry helped along with some oak spiciness. The tannins are polished and smooth.

The Cloudline Pinot Noir 2017, $26.95, is also produced by Drouhin. It has a 92 from winecurrent.com. which explains that crunchy red fruit dominates a palate that is decorated with peppery spice. Grilled savoury herbs and polished tannin add interest.

A good example of how Niagara can match up with these Oregon wines is the Adamo Estate Parke Vineyard Growers Series Pinot Noir 2016, $28.95. On the bouquet, you might detect dark cherry, vanilla oak, and a whisper of that classic barnyard funk. The cranberry flavours drive the wine, with ripe tannins pulling things together on the finish. Very satisfying. winealign.com scores it 91.

The Henry of Pelham Estate Pinot Noir 2017, $24.95, evidences deep fruit extraction with a rich, sweet strawberry at play along with more tart cherry notes. It still has some elegance, with bright acidity and light tannins providing balance on the finish.

This will be a good opportunity to explore the world of decent Pinot Noir, to determine how it matches up with your own tastes.

Just coming to our shelves are two new wines from Arterra in Niagara. They celebrate Thomas G. Bright, who began, really, the Ontario wine industry in Niagara. Brights has now become Arterra, and also includes such labels as Jackson-Triggs and Inniskillin.

The two wines featured in The Audacity of Thomas G. Bright line are the 2017 Chardonnay Sussreserve, $16.95, and the 2017 Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon Whisky-Barrel Finish, $17.95.

 

In keeping with the “audacity” angle, these wines push the envelope in flavour. The Chardonnay, with 10 grams of residual sugar, is lush and at the top of the range for a ‘dry’ designation. It uses the “Sussreserve” technique of adding a portion of the unfermented juice to the wine to bring an additional sweetness to it – and it works very nicely.

On the palate, there is a sensation of vanilla and a nod to oak, with just enough acidity to perfect the integration on the finish. This is just so easy to drink and enjoy.

The Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon displays a lovely ruby hue, and while it is equally soft, it does carry very light tannins that are very easy to live with. Flavours of plum and cherry are both mellowed and deepened by the whisky barrel finishing. There is just enough “bite” at the end to make it very satisfying. In all, the wine is totally approachable and enjoyable. Good stuff – and it will soon be available at Wine Rack stores, too.

September 28 Vintages Release

White Wine

Zolo Unoaked Chardonnay 2017, $14.95, from Argentina is called gorgeous “with cooked apple, pineapple and salt undertones. Full-bodied and layered.” – 93 JamesSuckling.

Kutjevo Grasevina 2018, $15.95, gives us the opportunity to explore a good dry white from Croatia. It earned a 90 at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 – “ripe honeydew melon and red pepper, with sweet butterscotch and vanilla, very ripe fruit and fresh mineral finish.”

Flat Rock Good Kharma Chardonnay 2018, $16.95, is a very popular Chardonnay from Niagara. Vintages promises “a big rich wine offering great depths of pear, pineapple, smoke, toast and butter and mineral notes.” 

Gehringer Brothers Private Reserve Pinot Gris 2017, $19.95, from British Columbiatook gold in an international competition last year. We can expect grapefruit and peach with a touch of honey. It is dry, zippy and intriguing according to Vintages.

Muré Signature Gewurztraminer 2016, $21.95, is a medium sweet wine from France’s Alsace. According to the Wine Enthusiast, “Notes of russet-pear peel, ripe peach and earth are pervaded by citrus zestiness…Lovely balance, great concentration and an extended off-dry finish.” -92.

Rosé

Velenosi Rosé 2018, $14.95, from Italy’s Marche, offers ”sweet aromas and flavours of herbs, bubble gum, red cherry and red apple... Finishes rather bitter with hints of dried cranberry and flowers. – 88  vinous.com

Carpineto Dogajolo Rosato 2018, $14.95, is another Italian Rosé, this from Tuscany. The Dogajolo Toscano red on the regular list is really good, and I expect this will match it admirably. Minerals flesh out flavours of cherry and herb, “punctuated by orange zest, yellow plum and a distinct peach pit earthiness that refreshes each sip.” 88 (Ultimate Wine Challenge 2019)

Red Wine

Calcu Reserva Especial Cabernet Franc 2016, $15.95, is from Chile. According to Descorchados 2019, “the aromas are of tobacco and herbs, and the texture is smooth and firm, austere. The flavours are long, with a linear acidity, very watery and sharp.” -91. Obviously not for everyone, but one that Cabernet Franc fans should explore.

Vinalba Malbec /Bonarda 2017, $17.95, from Argentina, is 90% Malbec and 10% Bonarda. Decanter World Wine Awards says it is a “stunning wine! Beautifully perfumed blossom, great purity of blueberry and plum fruit with concentrated dark cherries, fine-grained tannins and bright clean finish. Amazing value!” -95.

Valpantena Torre Del Falasco Ripasso Valpolicella 2016, $17.95, has an 88, a very respectable score from Tony Aspler, the dean of Ontario wine critics. He describes it as having a “spicy, blackberry and pencil lead bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, well-balanced, firmly structured, black cherry flavour with lively acidity.”