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Wines of the Week
Published June 15, 2009

Pinot Noir with Copper River Salmon
By Chuck Hill
Part 1 of a series (Part 2) (Part 3)

Delectable salmon from Alaska's Copper River Delta arrived early this year, so we had to divert our focus to Pinot Noir for this 5th annual pairing.

Pinot Noir is an unusual varietal. It offers various fruit components (strawberry, cherry, black cherry, plum and prune - coinciding with the ripeness of the picked grapes) as well as aromas and flavors of meat, earth, barnyard and herbs. These are sometimes the result of oak aging, and one should be on the lookout for pure wood aromas and flavors as well. Next week: Pinot problems.

As for the salmon, you should grill it.  Preferably outdoors on a gas or charcoal grill, but a grill pan on the stove works alright if you are not afraid to put a good sear on the flesh side of the fillet. Chef Ted likes the smokiness from grilling and caramelization of the meat that adds flavors that really pick up the notes in Pinot Noir. Lightly cooked salmon (baked, poached, microwaved) only pairs up with lighter, lightly oaked Pinots with their strawberry and light toast character.  Onward.

Evesham Wood Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir Eola/Amity Hills $20.00 Russ Raney has been making wine for over two decades at his winery in the southern part of the Eola Hills. His style is a nice compromise between "light and elegant" and "rich and hearty." This wine was aged in mostly neutral French oak and paired superbly with the salmon. Aromas of black cherry, cedar and earth lead to a medium-bodied palate showing cherry, plum, herb and a cedary/toasty finish. Good value for an Oregon Pinot Noir. Coelho Winery 2007 Paciencia Pinot Noir Oregon $32.00 Dave and Deolinda Coelho celebrate their Portuguese heritage by including the name Paciencia (patience) in their Pinot Noir releases. The small winery in downtown Amity, Oregon offers tasting and tours year round. Their 2007 Pinot Noir is a bright and fruity style offering aromas of strawberry, cherry and spicy earth. The palate adds cinnamon spice, barrel toast and a mineral finish. Very nice with grilled salmon. Willamette Valley Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard $40.00 The flagship bottling of Willamette Valley Vineyards, this wine perennially exhibits complexity and terroir of the estate vineyard. A nose of black cherry, earth and rose is complemented by notes of clove, berries and toasty oak. The medium-bodied palate (notice a theme developing here?) offers black cherry, cocoa, earth and a spicy pepper/toasty finish. A very versatile red wine for many occasions. Cambria Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard Santa Maria Valley, CA $21.00

Clever Pagans, Tasty Wine What happens when clever people get restless? Sometimes it leads to trouble, sometimes it leads to success. Most of the clever folks from Walla Walla make it to the successful side, including Jeanie Inglis-Chowanietz, wine marketer and wife of Alder Ridge winemaker Rob Chowenietz. Jeanie and Rob, along with longtime friend Crandall Kyle, started up tongue-in-cheek Thirsty Pagans Wine Company and bottled 250 cases of Communion, a red table wine. Crafted from Alder Ridge Vineyard fruit, this wine offers toasty aromas of black fruits, tobacco and vanilla and a palate of chewy, cherry, coffee mocha goodness. This vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. In November, look for the next Communion to be released, a mostly Malbec offering. $26.00 at www.thirstypagans.com

Just three hours north of Los Angeles, the Santa Maria Valley offers a cool, maritime microclimate for California vintners seeking to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A half-dozen Dijon clones of Pinot Noir comprised the blend from the carefully-tended Julia's Vineyard, located on the cool western edge of the estate. Aromas of blackberry, herb, earth and exotic spicy oak lead to a round palate of berry, earth and a finish of spicy vanilla and oak. It is a fine complement to grilled salmon.

Montinore Estate
2007 Pinot Noir Reserve
Willamette Valley
$28.00

This estate near Forest Grove, Oregon, farms 230 acres of varietals including 123 acres of Pinot Noir. The winery invites visitors to bring a picnic and enjoy a bottle of their wine beside the vineyard with their al fresco repast. Crafted from the most favored barrels of Pinot Noir, Montinore's Reserve offers aromas of tart cherry, cinnamon and toasty cedar. Flavors of cherry, cocoa, spice and earth frame the medium-bodied palate.

The Four Graces
2007 Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
$29.00

Steve and Paula Black began their adventure producing Pinot Noir in 2003 and named their winery after their four daughters: Alexis, Vanessa, Christiana and Jillian. This salmon-friendly release takes on the earthy/smoky side of Pinot Noir with a nose of earthy mushroom, smoky meat, black cherry and toasty vanilla. The palate opens with flavors of spicy dark cherry and evolves to show vanilla, herb and toasty oak.
 

Handley Cellars
2006 Pinot Noir
Anderson Valley
$30.00

Milla Handley graduated from UC Davis in 1975 and gained experience working with Richard Arrowood at Chateau St. Jean and Jed Steele at Edmeades Winery. She struck out on her own in 1982 and now champions the Anderson Valley as a winegrowing region. Pinot Noir is one of her specialties - look for aromas of cocoa, cedar and spice leading to the rich palate of cherry and toasty vanilla/oak. A few hours breathing time helped this wine brighten to embrace the fish.

Benton-Lane
2007 Pinot Noir, Estate
Willamette Valley
$26.00

Though this is the lightest wine of the group presented today, its elegance and delicacy paired well with the flavors of Copper River salmon. The nose offers strawberry, rose petal and smoky mocha. Bright flavors of cherry and spice are complemented by notes of earth and toasty oak on the finish.

Sojourn Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
Sangiacomo Vineyard
Sonoma Coast
$48.00

For your biggest, boldest fillet of salmon from the grill - or add a Porterhouse steak for a grand comparison - this ultra-intense, full-bodied Pinot Noir will give you an over-the-top tasting experience. Sourced from two blocks of Dijon clone Pinot and aged in 50% new French oak, this is a New World Pinot Noir style. Spicy oak, plum and black cherry aromas lead to a rich palate of cherry, smoky tenderloin, earth and toasty oak. Not everyone's style, but you know who you are.

 

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