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 | 2010 Alexander Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir
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Ratings and Awards
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| | | Score | User | City | State | Country | Tasting Notes | Time |
| 75 | | | 91 | JaneGarvey | Atlanta | Georgia | USA | While many California Pinot Noirs come across as fruit bombs, some with quite high alcohol and darker color than Pinot Noir usually shows when left to its own devices. (That’s because they’ve been tinkered with by adding Petit Sirah or other red wine grapes that shouldn’t be there.) But this example, from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, shows an elegance and pedigree well beyond its price. The fruit comes from vines that are a selection of chiefly Dijon and Pommard clones. This vintage was a cool one, allowing for more hang time, which generates good acidity and complexity. More savory than sweet in style (and thus more the style I prefer personally), this Pinot Noir shows a soft violet color and aromas of black and red fruits with touches of earthiness and dried herb. The palate shows good fruit intensity, but isn’t a bottle of cherry quaff. The acid backbone that stitches together the cherry/black plum flavors creates a savory environment for food and supplies the wine structure and potential longevity if cellared properly. One of the better values in American Pinot Noir, this wine needs to be served lightly cooled, about 65F/17C in Burgundy glasses.
Suggested Food Pairings:
Chicken or duck liver mousse (rather than terrine--textural considerations); duck legs rubbed with five spice powder and roasted, then brushed with a melted seedless, dark fruit jam; beer-can chicken (spice rubbed and cooked over a can of beer, indirect heat); wood-grilled wild salmon (sock-eye especially); wild mushroom ravioli with brown butter and fresh herbs Maybe heresy, but great lightly chilled with sausage and pepperoni pizza (Mo’s on Briarcliff Rd.).
Distributors:
Empire Distributing | 08/01/2012 |
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