There’s a Netflix documentary that says: “There is an unwritten rule of the internet, Rule Zero: Don’t F#ck With Cats”. It’s an interesting documentary that has absolutely nothing to do with wine, but the sentiment in the title is similar to a concept in wine circles: Don’t F#ck with Pinot Noir. It’s called the heartbreak grape for a reason.

Pinot is notoriously difficult to grow. It grows in tight clusters, with thin skins that can crack and oxidize. It needs to be carefully looked after in the vineyard and cellar with kid gloves. Not over managed, but steered away from any speed bumps. It can go sideways pretty easily, but when done well it is the be-all, end-all for so many sommeliers, collectors, winemakers and enthusiasts alike. It has an allure unlike any other grape and enchants people into becoming lifelong fans, exploring various iterations all over the world and its hallowed motherland of Burgundy. Different soils, different climates, different clones…it’s all so much more interesting through the lens of Pinot Noir. The downside is that it can be expensive, but when you find the right bottle, it’s all worth it. I knew a winemaker who said that he wished he had a cocaine habit because it would be cheaper than his Pinot Noir habit.

Several different Pinot Noir clones. Borrowed from Wine Folly.

They say Pinot Noir is the greatest transmitter of terroir in red grapes, meaning it is most reflective of where it’s grown, mirroring the soils, climate, and growing conditions back at the drinker through the wine. It is naturally a light bodied grape that can be made more tannic through extraction in fermentation, but generally speaking is delicate, higher in acidity, perfumed, earthy, floral, complex and nuanced. It’s popularity has led it to be grown beyond its native Burgundy is all sorts of places, and made in all sorts of ways…and many in some cases, ways it probably shouldn’t. I mean, winemakers can do what they want and make wine however they like, but as far as purists are concerned Pinot Noir is a cool climate grape that needs to shine on its own. It does not do well in warm climates that make it jammy or overripe. It’s also not great when put in a lot of new oak. It just over powers it and is left showing only those one-dimensional flavours of jam and oak. Thus, back to the opening of this post: Don’t F#ck With Pinot Noir. Grow it in cool climates, don’t over-ripen it, don’t slather it in new oak, and let it express where its from.

The beauty of Pinot Noir is this expression of place, and that’s why it has found so many interesting places to grow in the New World. The “New World” refers to wine growing countries outside of Europe. Old World = Europe and Middle East. And over the last century ambitious vintners have found some places in the New World with a cool climate and interesting soils that that have taken a shine to Pinot Noir. Places like right here in Ontario, or Oregon, the cooler parts of California, South Africa, Southern tip of Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, Southern Chile and Argentina. Burgundy will always be the benchmark and the motherland, so it’s hard to resist comparisons of Pinot Noir made anywhere else in the world, but we will discuss all this and more on the Zoom tasting this Saturday at 7pm. Just grab a bottle or case of any or all of these wines and email me that you want to participate! We’ll send you the Zoom link on Saturday afternoon ahead of the tasting!

BACHELDER, ‘PARFUM’ PINOT NOIR
$25 per bottle at Byward Wine Market and Pan Chancho in Kingston, or $23.95 x12 from Lifford
Thomas Bachelder of Bachelder wines is a native Montrealer who has also made wine in Burgundy and Oregon. He’s one of North America’s most respected producers and he’s helping put Ontario and Canada on the world stage for top Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir does best in cool climates and Ontario is one of the coolest. What’s more is that we have a perfect blend of limestone and clay...which is what you find in Burgundy—the benchmark and mothership for Pinot Noir. So it’s no wonder that international markets like London, New York, and even Paris are really beginning to pay attention to Ontario wines because of wineries like Bachelder. Floral, perfumed, cherry fruit with minerality and nice touch of earth! Perfect Ontario Pinot.

ECHEVERRIA, PINOT NOIR ‘GRAN RESERVA’
$23 per bottle at Byward Wine Market and Pan Chancho in Kingston, or $19.99 x12 from Lifford
Chilé’s ‘Casablanca’ region was it’s first cool climate wine producing area. It’s just outside of Santiago, further north and closer to the equator than you’d expect good Pinot to be grown, but with some elevation and the extremely cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean it creates beautifully balanced Pinot Noir with nice acidity, smooth texture with pretty fruit and some nice earth and vegetal notes. The Echeverria Family are one of the oldest producers in the country, and considering the approximate $20 price point, well worth a test drive to be any Pinot lover’s ‘daily driver’.

ATA RANGI, ‘CRIMSON’ PINOT NOIR
$50 per bottle at Byward Wine Market and Pan Chancho in Kingston, or $44.99 x6 from Lifford
Ata Rangi is in Martinborough, the southern-most wine region of the north island….opposite Marlborough. They are one of the oldest Pinot Noir producers in New Zealand, and owners of some of the original “gumboot clone” Pinot Noir. These were clippings stolen from Domaine Romanee Contee in Burgundy in the 1970’s and smuggled to NZ in a rubber boot, or gumboot as they call them. It was confiscated at customs by an officer who just happened to be an amateur winemaker himself, who then planted them and propagated them and shared them among his friends. One of those friends being Clive Patton of Ata Rangi. Ata Rangi is held in the highest regard of New Zealand Pinot Noir producers with the likes of Felton Road and Pyramid Valley. Very highly recommended for NZ Pinot lovers.

DE LOACH, ‘RUSSIAN RIVER’ PINOT NOIR
$44 per bottle at Byward Wine Market, or $39.99 x12 from Lifford
A good example of what a bigger, but balanced California Pinot Noir is like. The De Loach home estate is based in the Russian River Valley, is farmed organically and their home estate is biodynamic. De Loach is owned by the Burgundian negotient house Boisset, and Jean-Charles Boisset lives at the De Loach estate in the Russian River and oversees all the winemaking. So there is always a vein of French style running through the wines of De Loach. Still slightly bigger California style, but with some French elegance. Look for cherry notes mixed in with some fresh turned earth and cloves.

Grab a few of these bottles, some snacks from Lollo or Pan Chancho (if you’re in Kingston), and join us for more geeky info on all this and lots more on Saturday night at 7pm! Just send me an email with which wines you picked up and I’ll get you a Zoom link!

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The Byward Wine Market is fully open for in person shopping, as well as online orders offering curbside pickup or local delivery within Ottawa. And just a reminder that the order deadline for Friday case deliveries is Wednesday at 9:00am. Reach out if you have any questions, and check out the archive of past FEATURES if you’re interested in other recommendations. Lastly, please feel free to forward this to anyone in Ontario who may be interested in home wine delivery and follow us on Instagram for daily wine content at @bywardwinemarket and @capitalwine.ottawa!