November 27, 2005 - West Coast Pinot Noir

For the inaugural meeting of Drinker's Heaven, we tried West Coast USA Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is the varietal name for a finicky, thin-skinned grape that prefers warm days and very cool nights. It is the only grape used in red Burgundy wine, although USA style is generally fruitier and bolder than most elegant and earthy Burgundies. Coincidentally, everyone brought a California bottle, while the highly acclaimed Willamette Valley in Oregon was wholly ignored. And the proof was in the pudding. This lackluster bunch was so uninspirational, that even the most standout bottle was described as "light retarded" from Kim Socha's tasting notes. And it's fair to say that Francis Ford Coppola should stick to filmmaking and pull out the vines. Bottles to ignore include:

Five Rivers 2003 Central Coast Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
Robert Mondavi 2003 Private Selection Pinot Noir North Coast, California
Francis Coppola 2003 Diamond Pinot Noir Central Coast, California


The rest were just as forgettable. I don't think it helped that we tasted in plastic dixie cups. This difficult grape shows exactly how hard it is to grow and make a decent wine for less than $20.

On the plus side, Anthony Santaniello got drunk and stupid, and Adam Greenberg was smart enough to bring Merlot.