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PINOT NOIR

Sometimes it’s hard for wine lovers to reach a consensus, but most would agree that the finest red wines are Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are grown in vineyards around the world, but Cabernet adapts more easily to a wider range of climates, soils, yields and winemaking practices.

On the other hand, Pinot Noir is known as the varietal that gives winemakers grey hair. It excels in relatively few areas, most famously the Burgundy Region of France. Musigny, Romanee Conti, Bonnes Mare and Le Corton are the names that Pinot Noir lovers have historically coveted in the years when Mother Nature and the winemaker are both at their peak.

The history of the Pinot Noir grape is somewhat mysterious. The Romans discovered the grape when they conquered Gaul, but similar grapes are also thought to have come from ancient Greece. The clusters are dark and very tight, making them susceptible to moisture induced problems, and resemble a pine cone. Many think this is the origin of the name, because Noir means “black” and Pinot, loosely translated, means “nut of the pine”.

Pinot Noir also has a large number of clonal variations, making it important to match clones with weather, soils, and winemaking practices. Clonal variation, or mutation, is caused by natural radiation, grape viruses and mycoplasma, sub-microscopic bacteria like organism without cell walls that invades the grapes DNA and can cause mutation.

Selecting the right Pinot Noir clone is critical for winemakers. There are more than 100 clones, but the most common are Pinot Gris (the grey variety), Pinot Blanc (the white variety) and Pinot Meunier. Clones are nearly identical genetically but the leaves, fruit, ripening cycle and eventually the wine, can vary greatly. Most Pinot Noir vineyards in California plant multiple clones to achieve an appealing combination of color, body and bouquet in their wines.

In America, Pinot Noir excels in Oregon, Washington and especially California, where the quality and yield are usually more consistent. However, Pinot Noir is choosy even in California, with selected sub appellations of Mendocino, Monterey, Napa and Sonoma Counties being the most consistent, highest quality producers. These areas offer cool mornings, warm afternoons and cool evenings and are usually found in coastal areas or vineyards cooled by the fog and cold marine air from the Pacific Ocean or one of its bays. In these vineyards, the warm afternoon sunshine heats the soil and creates updrafts, which draws in the fog and cold marine air from the Pacific Ocean. The temperatures drop dramatically during the evening and the mornings warm slowly, eventually yielding to warm afternoons when the cycle starts again. Soils matter too, but that’s another story for the next Pinot Noir chapter.

Today, California is not only taking its rightful place among the world’s finest Pinot Noir producers, it is also becoming known as a producer of high quality, reasonably priced Pinot Noir for everyday enjoyment. Nowhere is this more evident than the ADS portfolio; whether it’s a non vintage, California appellation brand like Brownstone, Black Ridge, Stonewood and 99 Vines, or a cool climate Carneros wine like Silver Peak, ADS offers a remarkable array of Pinot Noir styles and prices. These California appellation brands use fruit from cool weather vineyards in Mendocino, Monterey and Sonoma. They have Pinot Noir’s attractive, unmistakable character and are medium bodied, fragrant and appealingly soft on the palate.

The Carneros Region includes the southern part of both Napa and Sonoma counties, making it the only appellation to include parts of two other appellations. These vineyards are cooled by the fog and breezes off the San Pablo Bay, an inland extension of San Francisco Bay. Silver Peak’s Carneros Pinot Noir is medium bodied and offers complexity in the nose and the mouth with aromas of violets, black and red fruit with cherry and black currant flavors – in short, a superior wine.

Sonoma County’s vineyards are the source for Howling Moon Pinot Noir. This wine is smooth and rich with a distinctive earthy character and hints of blueberries, cherries and truffles, making it an excellent Pinot Noir at a very competitive price.

For everyday enjoyment, the Pinot Noirs from Brownstone, Black Ridge, Stonewood and 99 Vines offers superior value. Blended with Pinot Noir from three regions and accented with a touch of Syrah, these are medium bodied and perfect for sipping before meals or with turkey, ham, lighter cheeses and grilled or baked salmon.

In summary, this grape continues to challenge vineyard managers and winemakers, but at least ADS Wines has made Pinot Noir easy for wine lovers to enjoy!

Many thanks to John McClelland, who has shared his research, his love of Pinot Noir and his multi-faceted experiences with us since our first day in business.

Anthony D. Scotto III

Here’s a tasty dessert recipe from Debbie Campbell at The Shoppe Package Store in Columbus, MS:

Red Sunset Cake
1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix
¾ cup Sweet Sunset Red Chocolate wine
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 package sugar free Cherry Jello
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Wine Glaze (recipe follows)

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees

Stir together cake mix, wine, oil, eggs, Jello and vanilla extract. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

When about 15 minutes of baking time is left, make the wine glaze:

Melt 1 stick of butter in a saucepan
Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup Sweet Sunset
Stir occasionally while heating to a rolling boil.
Remove from the heat.

Remove the cake from the oven and pour 1/3 of the glaze over the cake. Puncture the cake with a knife and pour another 1/3 of the glaze over the cake. Remove the cake from the pan and pour the remaining glaze over the cake.

2009
“Vinterviews” Interview

Below is an excerpt from a recent interview with Anthony Scotto III, the owner of ADS Wines:

“At the $7 or $8 per bottle price point, it’s frankly next to impossible to get anything decent…Nowadays, in this current economy, customers are more than ever looking for the biggest bang for their buck. And they’re sure to find it with the likes of ADS and their extensive portfolio of value-driven wines whose first priority is delivering quality. I’ll drink to that!”

The complete interview by Nikitas Magel can be seen here: www.vinterviews.com