Jane's Weekly Wines from the Atlanta Wine School PRINT AND GO VERSION March 23rd, 2006 The Many Flavors of Pinot Noir *************************************************************************************** RETAILERS WHO SUPPORT THIS COLUMN AND HAVE HAD THIS LIST OF WINES IN ADVANCE. Pearson's Wines of Atlanta, 3072 Early St Nw Atlanta, GA 30305 -- 404-231-8752 Corner Wine & Art, 1402 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306 -- 404-875-8810 Home Town Wine & Spirits, 4856 Hog Mountain Rd, Flowery Branch, GA --770-965-6058 The Colors of Wine, 2355 Cumberland Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 -- 770-432-2828 Sigman Bottle Shop, 425 Sigman Road - Conyers, GA 30012 -- 770-929-8797 Shiraz, 675 Pulaski Street, Suite 400, Athens, GA 30601 -- 706-208-0010 Windward Beverage, 12915 Hwy 9, Alpharetta, GA 30004 -- 678-566-3301 IS YOUR WINE SHOP NOT LISTED HERE? HAVE THEM CALL 770-668-0435 *************************************************************************************** Domaine LeJeune Bourgogne 2002 Burgundy, France Light/medium-bodied dry red wine; medium deep ruby red. Clean, if somewhat shy, aromas of wild dried herb, with classic Burgundian flavors, with clean dark cherry fruit and some good, fruit-derived, tannin. Balanced, and very food friendly. Very fine value. Domaine LeJeune is located in Pommard.. Fairly young vines (for the French) 10-20 years. A fantastic value, especially considering it's from Burgundy. Cellaring potential (if kept at 55 degrees), 6-10 years. Creamy-textured pâté, mushroom strudel or ravioli or sautéed mushrooms on toast; roast pork tenderloin; roast chicken, Cornish hen or turkey; grilled quail or chicken breast; crumbed chicken Parmesan; eggplant dishes (even salad like ones such as caponata); very mild cheeses, chicken or veal al Marsala Lynda Allison Cellar Selections 86 $17 ************************************************************************************* Taz Pinot Noir 2003 Santa Barbara County, CA Medium/full-bodied dry red wine; deep dark cherry red. Aromas of dried cranberries/cherries and a hint of cola, while the flavors lean toward juicy dark red cherry fruit with some strawberry and cola notes. Significant but supple fruit-centered tannin, supplying good structure. Beautifully balanced, with good tension between fruit sweetness and savory character. A California classic in the genre. From Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County. Dense liver pâté; pasta salad with creamy mild garlic dressing; grilled or sautéed portobello mushrooms; chicken al Marsala; grilled lamb chop, roast pork loin (rather than the learner tenderloin; roast chicken, turkey or Cornish hen; rabbit or dark meat turkey stewed with prunes and sun-dried tomatoes; very mild creamy bleu cheeses. And hold out for the high-cocoa dark chocolate for dessert!!! I'd like to try this with some Santa Maria style barbecue, a beef barbecue rubbed with a special spice mix. United Distributors $25 89 ************************************************************************************* Sadler Wells Pinot Noir 2002 Sonoma County, CA Medium-bodied dry red wine; medium dark cherry red. Complex, compelling aromas, with exotic spice notes, dark fruits, and a suggestive earthiness. Flavors offer luscious dark cherry, blackberry, and good acidity (.69). Round, silky tannins. Persistent finish. Savory rather than sweet, yet there's just a miniscule amount of residual sugar (.19). Whole berry fermentation, but no "bubblegum" characater. Clearly Burgundian inspired. Unfiltered and unfined, so fruit flavors aren't muddled. Fruit from Franco Vineyard in Sonoma Hills. Enjoy now, or cellar properly (constant 55 degrees) to about 2009-2011. Very limited, with just over 500 cases produced. Mildly flavored silky textured pâtés; pasta with creamy garlic sauce; wild mushroom strudel or pirozki; mildly seasoned Indian vegetarian dishes; grilled salmon; mild curries; beef Stroganoff, smoked lamb shank, grilled lamb or veal loin chop; braised light meats (veal roast or thick pork chop) with caramelized onions and mashed potatoes; roasted duck; grilled or roasted Cornish hen, quail. Winery says with chocolate, but I didn't see it. Your call. Bacco Fine Wine $35 93 ************************************************************************************* Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2004 Walker Bay, South Africa Medium/full-bodied dry red wine; bright dark ruby red. Aromas of crushed dried herb and dried cranberry. Beautifully balanced flavors focus on well-integrated dried herb/fresh dark fruit flavors. Good tannins. Solid structure. Long finish. Supremely elegant; thus no fruit bombe. Just plain gorgeous. Rewards the palate with mouthwatering flavors, good acidity. Fairly stiff alcohol (14%) but the fruit runs the show. Potential for cellaring, 5-7 years. (In South Africa, I acquired a 2000 that I plan to enjoy later this year.) Dishes with black olives; Patak's smoked liverwusrt; liver pâtés; grilled sweetbreads; dishes with mushrooms, such as beef Stroganoff or chicken al Marsala; braised veal or beef short ribs with mashed parsnip/potatoes; roast chicken, quail or duck; satay (skewers of chicken or pork with peanut sauce); mildly seasoned Indian or Malaysian dishes. (Malaysian fare is one of the important culinary currents in South Africa, a legacy of its demographic history.) I'd like to try this at a braai (pronounced br-eye), a South African barbecue. Empire Distributing $31 92 ************************************************************************************* Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2002 Martinborough, NZ Medium-bodied dry red wine; bright cherry red. Fragrant red cherry/red fruits/dried herb aromas; elegant, refined red fruit flavors, with supply tannins and a silky texture. Suggestions of exotic spices enliven the palate. Exquisitely balanced. Substantial (14%) alcohol, but grapes handle it. Very long finish. Showing beautifully at this point, and has good life yet ahead of it, probably another six years or so if well cellared. Martinborough Pinot Noir tilts to savory rather than big fruit, and this one is exemplary of the genre. Black olives; mushrooms; creamy pâtés; mild Thai-style curries (singularly good); grilled veal chop (stellar); braised meats (chicken thighs, beef short ribs, veal roast) with caramelized onions and parsnip mashed potatoes; pork or chicken satay, grilled quail rubbed with five spice powder; roast squab, duck or Cornish hen Unique World Wine $35 92 ************************************************************************************* Morgan Pinot Noir "Double L Vineyard" 2004 Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County), CA Full-bodied dry red wine; medium deep ruby. Aromas of dark cherries and plum, with flavors of juicy dark fruits and spice touches, notably cinnamon and allspice. Whole berry fermentation brings up the fruit, but doesn't make it a fruit bombe. Nice richness. Fruit tannins are ripe and tasty. Finish is long, caressed with just a hint of vanilla, but just a notch hot (14.3% alcohol). De-stemming keeps out any green character. French oak barrels for 11 months. The Double L vineyard, which is certified organic, holds 26 acres planted to Pinot Noir. A clearly California style. Very limited production. Peppered liver pâté; smoked lamb shank or ribs with a sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce; quail or Cornish hen brushed with a dark fruit/wine glaze; barbecued chicken; roast chicken or turkey; pork tenderloin with raspberry/chipotle glaze (Whole Foods); mojo-marinated chicken; game with dark fruit flavors; squab. Atlanta Wholesale Wine $50 88