Taking a flight with Pinot Noirs

While staying on Sanibel Island (Florida) last week, I ventured into Fort Myers Beach for dinner one night at Bayfront Bistro. It is in an attractive setting at a yacht club and marina (second-floor level) looking over the bay as the name suggests. Nice wine list (Wine Spectator Award in 2010) and good food and service with wine-savvy servers. I went with the flight of three Pinot Noirs although I wanted to eat seafood. The server assured me that the lighter reds wouldn't clash with the crab cakes. I don't recall if I had a cocktail with the appetizer, a refreshingly tart but not too spicy ceviche. Then the house salad with Champagne vinaigrette. The server brought out the Pinots for the crab cake main course. The line up was 2009 PONZI PINOT NOIR, WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON, 2007 J. LOHR FOG'S REACH PINOT NOIR, ARROYA SECO, MONTEREY COUNTY, CA and 2009 DAVIS BYNUM PINOT NOIR, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, CA. The server said his favorite was the Davis Bynum and the manager said he went back and forth between the Ponzi and the Davis Bynum. The wines were served room temperature where I might have preferred them a bit chilled. The 2009 Ponzi was cordovan or light mahagony in color with some transparency. Medium bodied but delivered a long finish. Savory aspects were perhaps more noticeable than the fruit. The 2007 J. Lohr Fog's Reach was a darker shade than the Ponzi, also with some transparency. I looked it up later online and the info was for the 2009 vintage but it said from Clones 777 and Pommard 4, 60% new barrels and spent eight months in French oak. Claims it has a 10-year aging potential. Alcohol volume for the 2009 is close to 15%. The wine showed viscosity. Flavor of tart or sour cherries with a hint of leather or suede. Interesting but not my favorite of the three. Another long finish. The 2009 Davis Bynum from the Russian River Valley edged out the Ponzi as my favorite. More light crimson/magenta with some transparency. Rich cherry fruit on nose and palate. Warming note on the finish. Silky smoothness to midpalate but finishes a bit hot. I believe this was my first acquaintance with J. Lohr or Davis Bynum Pinot Noir. I don't think the Davis Bynum is overpriced at $30 from the winery. My dining experience was quite pleasant and I had a bit of conversation with the couple at the next table who live in Fort Myers. The husband was originally from Germany and collects Bordeaux wines. The wife was from Connecticut but has lived in Florida for several decades.

The recommendation of PN with the crab cakes should have been a tip-off. Not necessarily repulsive, but at least off-putting. People who don't know wine wil try some crazy pairing. Crab cakes, at least those that I make, should be served with either Champagne (rose' or brut, or a Cremant or CA sparkler), Chablis or another nice white Burgundy. Anything less would not be fair to the crab. Taking recommendations from most restaurant servers (though I will at least listen) is usually not a good idea. It is like going to a doctor, you have to ask more questions of him/her than they do of you, and a little advanced knowledge should make things work in your favor.

I think I instigated a couple of crab cake threads here in the past but never considered PN. I have a great recipe from one of the restaurants I am connected with and past notes here seem to reflect my passion for white wines as a food match. Gruner Veltliner seemed to work quite well imo!
Interesting.