PINOT IN ALL ITS GLORY

By Seema Tikare

April is such an optimistic month. We know the spring is coming, the daffodils are out, the days are getting longer, and our coats are getting lighter. Coming out of the winter fugue state that I sink into, I also want to lighten and brighten the wines I drink. No more big, meaty reds. I am not ready for a chilled Vinho Verde yet, but Pinots offer everything I just mentioned. Bright fruit, good acid balance, the whites are floral and fruity, the reds are fruity and often have some charcuterie character.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s oldest documented grape varieties. It is thought to have been planted since Roman times, in the 1st century CE. It was first recorded as being planted in 1345 by some Friars. No one knows if it was brought there by some enterprising farmer or if it is native to France, but regardless, it has found its true home in Burgundy. But it is called Pinot because the grape bunches are small and resemble pine cones.

Being one of the oldest grapes, it has had time to diversify and there are now 1OOO clonal varieties of Pinot Noir. Surprisingly, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are not clones, but rather mutation of the red grape. For unexplained reasons, some berries simply lost the color in their skin and voila, we got gray and white Pinot. This chameleon grape is remarkable because it can be a key base grape for Champagne, for still white wine, still and sparkling rosé, as well as ethereal to downright chewy reds. Pinot is therefore a perfect wine for the spring because it comes in all guises. So let’s start with a Champagne that is made with Pinot Noir.

DRAPPIER ROSÉ DE SAIGNÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE NV
I especially like the name of this Champagne because “saignée” means “to bleed.” This wine is made like a red wine for the first 2 days, sitting on its skins and soaking up all those lovely colors and flavors. After 2 days, the wine is “bled” off the skins and then continues fermenting without the skins. It is then, like all Champagne, put into its final bottle with some extra yeast and sugars and left to build up the flavors and pressure from CO2 for 3O months. Then the yeast residue, or lees, are forced out of the bottle, a bit of reserve wine and any additional sugar, up to 12 grams per liter, that it needs to become “Brut.” This wine is beautiful in color and has a wonderful cherry and floral aroma. As you sip it, you will get pastry dough and ripe cherry flavors. It would start any party or dinner off on the right note. Available from Carolina Wine & Spirits.

2O2O HÖPLER PINOT BLANC, BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA
This grape, often confused for Chardonnay, is a “Cinderella” variety. Often overlooked because of the popularity of Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio, it makes lovely lightly straw-colored, medium-bodied wines. It begins with aromas of ripe, almost tropical fruit, but in the mouth it tastes more like ripe pears, with a slight acid bite and a creamy finish. The winemaker suggests Thai green curry to enjoy with this wine, but for a less spicy alternative, it would go very well with a pasta alfredo and some crunchy, buttery garlic bread. Available from Carolina Wine & Spirits.

2O18 DOMAINE ZIND-HUMBRECHT PINOT GRIS ROCHE CALCAIRE
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht is the closest one can get to a Grand Cru in Alsace. The style of Pinot Gris in Alsace has a richness, a lush quality to the wine. Grown in its eponymous calcareous soil, it has a wonderful structure to support the lush fruity aromas — apricots, orange blossom, fresh herbs. The slight acid lift gives it a brightness and minerality on the finish. It is a great wine to have with an onion tart, grilled salmon, or even a grilled cheese sandwich. Available from Horizon Beverage Company.

2O21 ABBAZIA DI NOVACELLA PINOT GRIGIO, ALTO ADIGE, ITALY
People often ask, what is the difference between a Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Gris. The grape is exactly the same grape, but the difference is in style. Alsace likes a softer style of wine whereas Italy likes theirs with angular acid and more crystalline fruit flavors. So, in general, Pinot Grigio from Italy will be a bit lighter on the palate and a bit more zesty. Having said that, this particular wine is grown on the steep slopes of the Dolomites. This winery has been in existence since the 11OOs as part of an Abbey, we know that priests liked their wine. This wine begins with ripe aromas of peaches and honeysuckle, but once you take a sip, you will begin to taste some bitter almond and the minerality that comes from this precipitous place. The finish is crisp and dry. This wine would go well with some rich creamy soup or white pizza layered with different cheeses. Available from MS Walker.

2O2O DOMAINE JESSIAUME BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR “MAISON JESSIAUME,” BURGUNDY, FRANCE
Just as Pinot Gris/Grigio comes in different styles, so does Pinot Noir. This Pinot Noir is made in the French style, a bit more reigned in on the nose and palate, use of French oak, which is more restrained than American oak and a little bit savory, with hints of leather or charcuterie. This wine follows that Burgundian tradition. It enjoys a long, wild ferment that extracts much of the beauty of the Pinot Noir grape, but also allows it to be lighter on the palate. The brightness of the cherry flavors is offset by silky tannins. This wine drink beautifully on its own but also goes with roasted chicken or pork loin, served with herbed potatoes and carrots. Available from MS Walker.

2O18 HOOK AND LADDER ESTATE PINOT NOIR, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA, US
In direct contrast to the Burgundy Pinot Noir, this wine is opulent. To start, the color is darker – a deeper ruby color that already indicates its richness. Then, black cherry and fresh red fruit aromas jump out of the glass along with a hint of roses. On the palate, it is very fruit-forward, rolling over your palate while exuding flavors of toasty vanilla and baking spice from the American oak the winemaker used to age this wine. This is probably the type of wine that Paul Giamatti’s character loved in the movie Sideways. I would drink this wine with duck breast or anything that had an earthy, meaty aroma like cured ham or prosciutto. Available from Boston Wine Company.