Pinot Envy

As delicious as great pinot can be it's difficult to grow and even more difficult to turn into wine with finesse and style.

Speaking at an international conference on pinot noir in New Zealand, Burgundian wine producer Robert Drouhin said about the nature of the pinot noir, "We are forbidden to print the names of a varietal on our most important wines because we [the French] think region, not variety."

Drouhin also said, "Its no compliment to Burgundy when you just refer to its fruit. We expect more complexity -- a bouquet, a bunch of flowers. He acknowledges the New World is looking for fruity wine but he questions, "What's behind the fruity flavours? Will the new clones age properly? Will they develop complexity?"

Australian wine writer and pinot noir winemaker/grape grower James Halliday cautions, "When it comes to pinot, colour is largely unimportant. It's superficially easy to understand but difficult to get to know. The linear nature of good pinot flows evenly and opens its peacock tail in the finish. The echoes of the flavours stay in your mouth a long time. You can count the seconds."

Regarding Australian pinot noir Halliday said, "There are as many approaches with convictions as you can imagine. Copying doesn't make sense because what are you copying? Growers should try to understand the nuances of the grape and unabashedly borrow the best practices because it's pointless to re-invent the wheel.

Jancis Robinson made an excellent distinction between good pinot noir and great pinot noir. "Good has pleasant fruit flavours; great is intense and complex. Good is in balance but nothing sticks out; great has superstructure and elegance. Good has texture that doesn't bite; great is supple and polished and positively sexy. Good lasts (on the aftertaste) but great goes on forever."

This week I've chosen six pinots that may not be great, but are certainly good and in some cases, very good value. Enjoy.

Australia may be the import powerhouse of record but there isn't much pinot noir contributing to the bottom line in Canada. Among the better value labels in B.C. is the Wolf Blass Pinot Noir Purple Label 2002, a wine that comes out of the Yarra Valley. The nose is spicy with cedary, celery top aromas and raspberry/floral notes. It has a soft and elegant nature on the palate with dry, smoky, vanilla, spicy, strawberry flavours and a resiny, finish. The purple label is beginning to show a consistency that will make it a favourite with consumers and restaurants.

Two American pinots make our list this week beginning with the Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2002. Despite its ubiquitous California designation, it offers ripe cherry jam and an attractive barnyard, smoky peppery nose. It has the necessary round, rich, pinot textures spiked with spicy, cherry jam, vanilla and compost flavours with their balance of fine acidity. It's a well-balanced and pleasurable California pinot noir selling for less than $19, which makes it a rare experience for British Columbians.

The second Golden State pinot label is a big step up in quality and price. The Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard 2002 hails from the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County. Look for a spicy, carrot-top, gamey, black cherry nose with a twist of orange rind and rhubarb. It is dry soft and supple with more smoky, juicy rhubarb/cherry flavours and that exotic orange peel coming through on the finish.

Closer to home the Quails' Gate Pinot Noir Family Reserve 2002 makes a serious impression with its spicy, smoky, vanilla, pudding nose mixed with aromas of sweet Bing cherries, licorice and game notes. The acidity is a bit nervy but it helps to balance the smoky vanilla, peppery, licorice flavours and the cola, black cherry finish. A ripe, warm attractive consumer style that should improve over the next year or two.

Shingle Peak Pinot Noir 2003 from Marlborough, New Zealand is a new screw-cap release. Look for an open, attractive strawberry/cherry spicy nose with a rootsy, barnyard and compost undercurrent. It's soft and silky on the entry with smooth textures, a 'warm' mid-palate and plenty of cool-climate acidity in the finish.

The flavours mix cherry strawberry fruit with cola and a spicy rootsy aftertaste. Solid pinot at a fair price sold with a convenient twist-off cap.

Our final pick is B.C.'s Gehringer Brothers Pinot Noir Private Reserve 2003. The nose is a mix of spicy, clove, sour cherry, Worcestershire sauce aromas, all wrapped up in a soft, easy-drinking style. A simple, straight-ahead pinot with black cherry, spicy, smoky, cedar-y flavours and a light jammy, smoky oak finish.

WEEKEND WINE TASTING: PINOT NOIR

Wine Wolf Blass Pinot Noir Purple Label 2002, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Price $17.99
UPC 098137000161
Score 87/100
Comments Dry, smoky, vanilla, spicy, strawberry flavours

Wine Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2002, California
Price $18.95
UPC 011443260111
Score 88/100
Comments Good California pinot noir under $19.

Wine Cambria Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard 2002, Santa Barbara County, Calif.
Price $34.57
UPC 26319100019
Score 91/100
Comments Juicy, spicy, smoky, rhubarb, cherry, vanilla flavours.

Wine Quails' Gate Pinot Noir Family Reserve 2002, Okanagan Valley.
Prcie $29.99
UPC 77856203707
Score 89/100
Comments Bing cherry jam with a streak of licorice, smoky vanilla and black cherry.

Wine Shingle Peak Pinot Noir 2003, Marlborough, New Zealand
Prcie $20.99
UPC 941530702982
Score 88/100
Comments Attractive strawberry/ cherry spicy fruit and flavours. Screwcap.

Wine Gehringer Brothers Pinot Noir Private Reserve 2003, Okanagan.
Prcie $13.49
UPC 623871020030
Score 85/100
Comments Simple, straight ahead pinot for early consumption.