The fussy, but fabulous, Pinot Noir

Burgundy is on everyone’s list of the premier wine-producing regions in the world. Many of the great red and white Burgundy wines command stellar prices. Wines from Domaine de la Romanée Conti, made from the Pinot Noir grape variety, command some of the highest bottle prices and are very difficult to buy, even if you have the money.

It is not just the relatively small production and rarity of such wines and labels that makes red Burgundy some of the most sought after wine from anywhere.

The best examples of these wines combine great elegance, finesse, and complexity with enticing aromas and flavours.

They can age gracefully for decades, and make wonderful food pairings.

Even the less famous wines of the region command good prices in the market (although not every label is worth the price on the tag).

Like anyone proud of his or her craft, many winemakers have the ambition to produce Pinot Noir wines to rival the character and finesse of the great red Burgundies.

Pinot Noir, however, is a difficult grape with which to realize that ambition.

The vine is quite fussy about its growing conditions.

It does not do well in extreme conditions of heat or cold, windy sites, or challenging locations.

The vines like particular soils and require constant attention in the vineyard.

It has a propensity for many vine and grape diseases. If allowed to over-produce, the quality of the wine plummets.

The thin-skinned grape also needs special attention in the winery in order to make a quality wine.

Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, there are still many winemakers who want to give this grape a try.

In every cool climate wine region of the world there is someone making the effort to grow these grapes.

One mistake often made is to attempt to reproduce red Burgundy.

Many winemakers have realized that this grape is strongly inclined to reflect its terroir (the place it is grown), and wines made in that way have shown more success. One of the cool climate regions where Pinot Noir wine has been made with some success is in Oregon, the Pacific coast state north of California.

There are three large American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Oregon.

The northernmost, the Willamette Valley, has a mild climate with warm, dry summers, but abundant moisture.

The southernmost AVA is the Rogue Valley which has the driest and warmest growing conditions in the State.

In between these two regions, in both geography and climate, is the Upmqua Valley.

The Rainstorm Pinot Noir (NLC $22.47) is a 50/50 blend of Willamette and Umpqua grapes.

The nuance of the Willamette grapes is combined with the rich fruit flavours of its neighbour.

This Pinot does show the typical cherry and berry aromas and flavours of the variety.

There is depth and complexity with influences of cinnamon and earthiness.

I would have preferred the flavours to have been a little more pronounced in the mouth, but this wine still scores 15 with a rating of Very Good.