Pinot Noir? Yawn. Been there. Done that. Sure, this finicky grape had more than its fifteen minutes of fame in the film Sideways, where the film’s characters got teary-eyed just thinking about this thin-skinned black grape varietal.
Few people, however, can know this grape completely. Like a beautiful and exotic woman, the grape retains its mystery and also takes on many different guises and moods. If you like red wine, such as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s very possible you did not respond to Pinot Noir at first. The flavors might have struck you as being too light and delicate. Yet as you taste more Pinot Noir from different regions of the world, you will be surprised to realize Pinot Noir can take on so many textures, aromas, and levels of acidity and tannin. Among Pinot lovers (sometimes called Pinotphiles) arguments often break out about the grape, with some swearing by Oregon, and others its traditional home of Burgundy, France.
Today, I’d like to talk about Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma Coast in California. Right now I am tasting a MacRostie Pinot Noir from their Wildcat Mountain vineyard and it is surprisingly delicious, with gorgeous concentrated red and black berries on the palate, and a long, strong finish of deeply colored wild fruit with the kind of assertive tannins that can stand up to a juicy, rare Porterhouse steak and at the same time, complement grilled Ahi tuna or Alaskan King salmon.
Wildcat Mountain Vineyard is located on the volcanic highlands of the Sonoma Coast appellation with elevations ranging from 500 to 700 feet overlooking San Pablo Bay, typically covered in fog brought through the mountains by a wind so powerful many of the vines have a windswept look about them. The soil is red, pebbly clay loam and consists of volcanic basalt, and discerning palates will be able to taste this mineral quality in the wine. Climate? Cool and rather breezy. As you can imagine, under these conditions vines must struggle to survive. In the wine world, a struggling vine produces the most concentrated fruit.
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