Heartbreak grape on TV

I was watching Top Chef on Bravo this last week and the episode was about pinot noir and pork. Now I really enjoy pinot noir, so I was disappointed that we don’t carry any of the ones used for the show, but we do have a wide selection from some regions mentioned on the show. The episode featured wines from Oregon, France and California. Pinot noir is a very hard grape to grow and is often called the heartbreak grape. There are often broad differences in color, flavor, and aroma between the wines of one producer and another. Yet, regardless of where or how it is grown, pinot noir always expresses itself in terms of texture and perfume. In fact, pinot noirs are described, more than any other wine, in sensual terms from the remarkably supple, silky textures and erotically earth aromas, to the in your mouth flavors of warm baked cherries, plum, damp earth, mushrooms, cedar, cigars, chocolate and many other flavors. Pinot noir is lighter in body, color and less tannic most reds which leads to people assuming the flavors are feeble, great pinots are just the opposite they are a study in subtlety and nuance. At a glance most pinots are a light colored; earthy; truffle-scented, light-to-dark cherry fruit lifted by vibrant acidity & supported on silky yet firm tannins and rarely any noticeable oak and should be served around 61F. Pinot noir pairs well with beef, lamb, veal, pasta, poultry, pork & seafood. Now with Simply D’Vine this Friday, you will have a great opportunity to try some great wines from all over the world, including several pinot noirs.