2008 C. Donatiello Floodgate Vineyard Block 15 Pinot Noir – Russian River Valley

Cranberry color, slightly opaque. (A thankful break from the ridiculously dark Pinot’s being produced today by many.) On the nose, cherry, cranberry, with a pleasant touch of earthiness. On the Palette: elegant. Despite the youth of this release, it’s a pleasure in the mouth, with velvet texture, wonderful balance and mouthfeel. Flavors of cherry and red fruit, with a nice finish, and lingering acidity. Read the full review on Simple Hedonisms.

Seeking to Define Natural Wine

Except for the absence of tie-dye, the second annual Natural Wine Week in San Francisco could have been an event right out of 1967.

Palate Press Wine of the Week: 2006 Piluso Vineyards Pinot Noir

This elegant yet complex, medium-bodied Pinot noir (from the lesser-known east side of the Willamette River) opens up immediately with ripe red cherries and raspberries. Keep swirling and discover layers of tobacco, rose petals and mint will come through. Slightly savory notes balance out the sweet, red fruit and the peppery finish adds an element of interest that persists long and pleasurably in the mouth. This is a classic Oregon Pinot Noir; pair this wine with cedar-plank salmon or try it with coffee-crusted pork tenderloin. Read more about Piluso Vineyards at Sip With Me.

Codorníu Pinot Noir Brut Cava – Spain

Clear, pale, pink with a yellow hue – like a pink/yellow rose. Clean nose, apple, citrus, strawberry, grapefruit, red fruit. Medium+ acidity, dry, light body, delicate mousse, creamy finish, nutty, raspberry. Read more on oe•no•phile.

2006 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir – Santa Lucia Highlands

Clear with medium cranberry red color. Clean nose, developing, with medium intensity. Aromas of cedar, cherry, plum, strawberry, floral/perfumed notes, spice and cinnamon. Dry with medium acidity, well integrated alcohol, medium tannin, and body. Flavors of cherry, strawberry, vanilla, spice, red fruit. Bright cherry, medium intensity with a long finish. Read more on oe•no•phile.

2008 Phelps Creek Cuvée Alexandrine Pinot Noir – Columbia Gorge

Clear, ruby to purple color. Clean nose, earth, barnyard, vegetal, black cherry, and smoke aromas. Dry, medium body, tannin, and acidity. Flavors of mushroom and cherry with a medium-plus finish. Old world flare on new world juice.

2008 Undone Pinot Noir – Rheinhessen, Germany

The best to be said of this wine is that it is interesting. Chances are, neither you nor the person you pour this for will have had an unoaked Pinot Noir from Germany before. Once you have tried this thin, cherry-licorice flavored attempt, you will both be able to say you have.

2006 Piluso Vineyards Pinot Noir – Willamette Valley

This elegant yet complex, medium-bodied Pinot noir (from the lesser-known east side of the Willamette River) opens up immediately with ripe red cherries and raspberries. Keep swirling and discover layers of tobacco, rose petals and mint will come through. Slightly savory notes balance out the sweet, red fruit and the peppery finish adds an element of interest that persists long and pleasurably in the mouth. This is a classic Oregon Pinot Noir; pair this wine with cedar-plank salmon or try it with coffee-crusted pork tenderloin. Read more about Piluso Vineyards at Sip With Me.

Palate Press Wine of the Week: 2007 Clos LaChance Pinot Noir

Pinot noir can presented in a hundred different ways, depending upon clone, terroir, and the decisions of the winemaker. In this case, a small mountain vineyard, low yields, and 45% new French oak, and wine bottled unfined and unfiltered created a glass of silk, flavored with cherries, dried strawberries, cola, and a bit of suede. The wood has a complimentary, rather than obtrusive, effect, contributing to sweet tannins and adding a touch, just a touch, of vanilla. Drink it with pork loin.

The Wines of Jura: Think Different

Common wisdom often has it that to make its mark in the wine world, a region has to have a specific wine—often, a specific variety—that will be easily recognizable by average wine drinkers. A wine that provides a signature, a distinctive beacon on the ocean of wine that rolls around the planet. Think California Cabernet, Australian Shiraz, Argentinian Malbec or Alsatian Riesling. That signature grape, it is thought, will act as a locomotive for the rest of the regional or national production. Try telling that to the vignerons of Jura.

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