SILKY, SENSUOUS, SEDUCTIVE:
These may be the words most often used to describe Pinot Noir. But the
fickle Pinot Noir grape reaches its fullest potential only in a rare microclimate
of warm days, cool nights and low humidity. Although grown for centuries
in France to produce the legendary wines of Burgundy, production of such
outstanding Pinots has rarely been achieved elsewhere in the world —
with the notable exception of Oregon's Willamette Valley.
The best Pinots possess a subtle sophistication that combines a velvety
texture that is rich in the mouth, a complex aroma of red and black fruit,
vanilla and earth, and supple fruit flavors supported by a backbone of
acidity and soft tannins.
HISTORY OF PINOT NOIR
One of the world's oldest known wines, Pinot Noir may have originally
been cultivated in the Nile valley by the ancient Egyptians. There are
references to its planting by the Gauls as early as 150 BC. Charlemagne
is said to have brought the grape to Germany, where Pinot Noir vineyards
were established in the early 1300s.
Pinot Noir is most famous for the French wines produced in Burgundy's
Cote d'Or. Only recently have growers outside of Europe produced commercial
quantities of Pinot Noir, with California, Oregon, Australia and New Zealand
leading the way.
OREGON'S WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Nestled between two mountain ranges — the Coast to the west and the Cascades
to the east — Oregon's Willamette Valley boasts weathered soils and a temperate
marine climate ideal for Pinot Noir. Long summer days and relatively low
temperatures allow for the leisurely ripening of the fruit, with rainfall
concentrated in the late fall and winter.
The region achieved fame in 1979, when an international wine-tasting competition
held in Paris declared the valley's Eryie Vineyard's 1975 Pinot Noir the
victor over French Burgundies. Today, there are more than 100 wineries
in the Willamette Valley, the largest concentration of wineries in Oregon.