Question about Pinot Noir

No, it's not correct.

Washington PN preferred over California PN? Someone is confused. Santa Maria, Santa Lucia Highlands, Russian River, Anderson Valley are all making some outstanding PN in California.

Oregon has indeed earned a reputation for excellent PN.

But Washington?

Dana

Who told you that? Oregon makes some good pinot noir, but the best US pinot noir I have had lately has come from the Sonoma Coast of California.

Dimitri

Californians

correct?

No.

It's certainly true that Pinot Noir is a cool-climate grape. To match the latitude of its traditional home, Burgundy, you'd be looking to the north of Vancouver. While California might produce a good Pinot or two, it's not a good climate for the grape.

Tiggrr

*poke poke* Carneros has been known to produce a decent bottle or two, also, Dana... :P

Mark Lipton

I just don't think of Carneros when I think of outstanding California PN. I really think Caneros was where the Napa-based wineries went to grow PN because it's in their back yard before the other areas were developed.

Dana

Then all the $$$ the Napa wineries have poured into (over)hyping Carneros has been wasted on us!

I think of Santa Barbara County, Russian River and Monterey area when Pinot Noir comes to mind. I'll admit that there are some good Pinots from Carneros, but not in proportion to the advertizing.

FWIW, Santa Rita Hills and Lucia Highlands are worth seeking out on a label. These are the "young turks" - so to speak.

Tom S

[] ] A nice defense of California's Pinot Noir regions, Mark - and you don't even ] _live_ here_! :^D ] ] Tom S ] ]

Yes, but he's _from_ there, Tom. And absence definitly makes the heart grow fonder!

-E

Hmm...Mebbe, Emery. Although I can't bear even looking at the traffic on 29 without flashing back to Calistoga ca. '67, when the only traffic would be the occasional aged pickup with horse trailer in tow, and apple orchards were the crop of choice in the Russian River Valley.

Nostalgically yours, Mark Lipton

Dana, I think that Saintsbury's top flight bottlings, and those of Domaine Carneros are usually excellent Pinot Noirs. They may not have the power of RRV or Santa Lucia, but they have tremendous fruit and charm. De gustibus, however.

Mark Lipton

It's certainly been wasted on me.

Of course, I'm not saying that all PNs from Carneros are bad. Many of them are good and a few are excellent.

Dana

I hope no one misunderstands me and thinks that all Carneros PN is bad. There's a lot of good PN coming from Carneros. It's just not where the excitement is in California PN to me.

Dana

Saintsbury and Acacia come to mind. So does BV's "Carneros Reserve".

Tom S

Mondavi Carneros PN is an example of a poor one. I think Carneros is too warm to produce consistantly good PN. Bi!!

Specific recommendations: Siduri pinot from Sonoma County or Cristom from Salem Oregon. As others have already pointed out, you got some incorrect advice. Never had a good pinot from Washington.

Generally this is true. The Pinot Noir grape needs cooler weather than its fellow (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel etc.) red wine grapesThe northern wines are usually more complex than their Cal. cousins. Also try Canadian Pinot Noirs as some of these are quite good also. A western hemisphere PN is rarely as good as the Burgundian origional (Chamberton, Echezeau etc.) whereas a Cal. Cabernet S. can even top the best of the Bordeaux vintages (La Tour, Lafite Rothschild, Margeaux etc.) at times. The best barometer is your own taste buds & those of your guests. Eat & Drink Hearty, Carl

After Malvern Hill Pres. Lincoln visited with Gens. Mc Clellen & Sumner as well as Col. Nugent (Commander of the Irish Brigade.)` A Lt. James. M. Birmingham, Adjutant of the 88th N. Y. came from a swim in the James R. & with his underwear drying on his body saw them talking. He ducked behind some cover to eavesdrop in time to see & hear Pres. Lincoln (overcome with emotion at the bravery & sacrifice of the Irish Brigade.) as he lifted a corner of the 69th N. Y.'s flag, kissed it & said "God bless this Irish flag" From Joseph Bilby's book "Remember Fontenoy" on the Irish Brigade Lancaster Civil War Round Table Website

Carl Speros webmaster.

That's a pretty broad generalization. Which Washington PNs are you thinking of?

I suppose it's true that PN grown in the wrong place in CA is not exciting, which makes it more important to pay attention to appellation.

Which ones are you thinking of? I've had a few, they're quite variable.

Variable is too often an understatement.... I too would appreciate being pointed in a better direction for Niagara PN product.

Siduri is one of my favorites now. What is interesting about Siduri is that they make wines from Oregon vineyards, too, so you can compare terroir.

Dimitri