W W W. P O LO LI FESTYL ES .COM
try some Oregon expressions and you might eventually grow to enjoy the funk of Burgundy. Over a decade ago, the greater Willamette Valley was divided into six sub-appellations with distinct climate, soil and elevation giving their wines distinctive characteristics: Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill-Carlton.
Germany. Surprise, isn’t it? Germany
is, after France and California, the third-largest Pinot Noir producer in the world. Spatburgunder, as they call it in the land of Goethe, was originally cultivated in the mid-15th century when French monks brought it to the region of Rheingau. Overshadowed by Riesling, the quintessential German grape, Spatburgunder gets less-than-deserved recognition. Yet, its quality, even though it can be inconsistent among different producers, can be surprisingly high. Definitely in a cool climate style, with earthiness dominating and sometimes a slightly rustic touch in its flavors, Spatburgunder’s complexity and ability to age are worthy of note. Nahe, Baden and Ahr regions are most suitable for the grape, with producers including Schnaitmann, Dautel, Holger Koch, J. B. Becker, and Aldinger.
New Zealand. Down below Australia’s belly, in the Southern Hemisphere lies nature enthusiasts’ paradise: the country of New Zealand. Its main bodies of land are North and South Islands separated by the Cook Straight. Originally New Zealand’s viticulture was known almost exclusively for its white wines due to the comparatively low annual sunshine hours. Eventually the cooler-weather-preferring Pinot Noir was given a chance. Not only did it comfortably acclimated itself, but it thrived. In the span of a few decades, Pinot Noir became
the second-most-widely planted and picked grape variety in New Zealand, predominantly grown in the cooler southerly wine regions of Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, Waipara, Canterbury and Central Otago regions. New Zealand yields a Pinot Noir with good coloring and a soft, fruity palate. The wine can be silky smooth with power strength and complexity. New Zealand Pinot Noirs can be one of the better quality-to-value choices. My favorite picks: Cloudy Bay, Two Paddocks, Felton Road, Kiwa by Escarpment and Seresin. Pinot Noir is not just limited to these staple regions. This ubiquitous, ancient grape is planted all over the globe, including Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, England, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, and Switzerland. Some wineries outside of the Burgundy region, jealous, infatuated or simply in search of more convincing marketing ploys, try to promote their Pinot Noirs by labeling them as “Burgundian” in style. Imitation is the highest form of
flattery some say; but I’ll choose integrity and individuality over imitation. I said it once and I’ll say it again: One of the most fascinating aspects of wine is the fact that you can take the same grape variety grown in two different macro-climates – whether across a fence or across an ocean – vinify it using different techniques, and it will produce two distinctly different, unique wines. I don’t want my Santa Maria Valley or Central Otago Pinot Noir to taste like Gevrey Chambertin from Burgundy. That’s predictable and outright untrue. Here comes another art analogy: Impressionist painters worked within the same movement, yet their individual styles were recognizably distinct because they originated from within the individual sensibility of each painter. So explore the world of Pinot Noir, taste different expressions of it, and let your palate guide you. While the quality can vary between wines, the styles within the same quality can be only different. So choose your own and respect the others. page 131