Thanksgiving Day Tasting of Pinot Noir
Tom, Bob and James Noland, each supplying one wine. Double blind tasting. I am writing up these tasting notes while sipping on a good QPA pinot noir – sub $10 2012 pinot noir 120 Santa Rita winery from Chile. Clear ruby color. Nice nose of Cran-cherry with cherry cough drop midpalate and nice medium long finish. Great match with grilled marinated pork tenderloin.
Wine A
James: Deep rich fruit, bag of smashed cherries with a nice spice background for the nose. Fruit, fruit and more fruit. Over the top? Syrah like, nose is full blown.
Taste: Bright acidity. Not balanced. Cranberries. Needs time
Bob: Nose of sweet cherries, fresh tomatoes. Bright acidic wine lacking balance. Nose and midpalate do not match.
Tom: Deep ruby color. Dark sweet cherries on the nose. Midpalate is quite fruity with bright acidity of tart cherries. Finish is medium length of fruit. This wine tends to shut down at the finish. Improved with time after opening.
Consensus: Best nose of all the wines.
Wine B
James: Lighter and more acidic. Cherries again but not as intense as wine A. Midpalate is a mixed bag of sweet and sour cherries and big fruit. Also sweet fruit, light spice of clove or cinnamon.
Bob: Nose of cherries, violet and some green tee. Finish clamps down with bitter peach pit. Muted flavors.
Tom: Clear ruby. Nose of ripe fruit with chocolate covered cherries and black raspberry notes. Overall the darkest fruit nose. Gorgeous dark bing cherries with medium to big smooth tannins that caress the midpalate with bitter almond notes.
Consensus: Best fruit of all the wines.
Wine C
James: Most interesting nose of all the wines. More Burgundian, but still new world. Spices and interesting fruit. Nice complex finish. Cedar notes. Most complex pinot of the three.
Bob: Spicy and deep cedar with earthy notes on the nose. Well balanced with long finish and layers of fruit. The best complexity of the three wines.
Tom: Deep ruby color but not that much darker than the other two wines. Cedar notes with bright tart cherries and dark fruit on the nose with lingering spiciness. Best complexity on the midpalate with raspberry and cherry fruit and balancing acidity. Medium to long finish of bright acidity, cherry and a burst of peach pit bitterness at the end. Best finish of the 3 wines.
Consensus: Best balance of the 3 wines.
Wines with food: All notes from Tom
Food was herbed almonds and walnuts, smoked gouda cheese, and golden raisin and toasted walnut salsa with Spanish pork tenderloin medallions.
Wine A: Nice match with herbed walnuts which make the wine spicy and richer, calming down the acidity.
Great match with the raisin salsa as the wine just lights and the finish is enhances.
Gorgeous with the pork. Gives it a luscious midpalate and finish.
Nice with the cheese but does not really change the wine taste much
Wine B: Better match with herbed almonds which enhance the sweet fruit. Herbed walnuts cause dull the fruit of the wine a bit and enhance the meatiness of the finish.
Again the golden raisin salsa light up the fruit of the wine and mellows the fruit of this wine while giving it more tannic punch on the finish.
Not so good with the smoked gouda as it enhances the bitterness of the wine.
Wine C: The herbed walnuts enhanced the spiciness of this wine and made it richer. The golden raisin salsa lights up this wine also by expanding the already good finish.
Gorgeous with the pork as it really makes the midpalate more luscious as well as the finish.
Nice match with cheese.
Wines Rated:
All brothers agreed.
1. Wine C
2. Wine B
3. Wine A
Wines revealed:
A: 2008 Domaine Serene Evanstad Reserve Pinot Noir, Williamette Valley, Oregon: Tom’s wine
B: 2010 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, California: James’ wine
C: 2008 Lange Pinot Noir The Hills Cuvee, Willamette Valley, Oregon: Bob’s wine
At the end of the tasting I was most surprised with the showing of my wine. I think it was just not ready to drink as it evolved the most in the glass of the three wines. Bob, who knows this wine, was disappointed in its showing. Maybe in a dumb phase?
One point of agreement on this tasting. The golden raisin-toasted almond salsa was the best match with the every single pinot we had.
Here is the recipe:
Chef Greg Cole: original recipe. We substituted walnuts for almonds
Golden Raisin – Toasted Walnut (original was almond) Salsa:
½ cup chopped walnuts (sliced almonds in original recipe)
1 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup pinot noir (we used a mix of the 3 wines in the tasting but mostly the Domaine Serene due to a heavy pour by James)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. dried basil
Toast nuts at 450 F in oven until golden brown. Combine all ingredients except wine and nuts. We let it steep for 24 hours. Add pinot and toasted almonds just before serving.