This week, we’ll swing on down to France and look at the signature red grape of Burgundy.
Pinot Noir is a seemingly love-it or hate-it grape. Some dig the earthy, barnyard, almost musky scents of a good Pinot Noir can give off – others shy away, saying that the wine smells like merde.
Pinot Noir is the thin-skinned grape that has made the region of Burgundy famous (the other grape there is the white grape Chardonnay – still one of the most popular in the world). Pinot Noir is the perfect turkey wine, which is why many choose it to grace their table at Thanksgiving, but it’s versatile enough to drink with all kinds of meals – from salmon to pizza, though Pinot-purists would be shocked that I would make such a recommendation. Their beloved grape should be nowhere near pizza!
Right now, the LCBO has a really good Pinot on for a really good price (for the LCBO, that is) at $2 off (till November 11th). The Chanson Père & Fils 2010 Le Bourgogne Pinot Noir is an excellent value. It’s normally an excellent deal at $17.95, but at $15.95 you might want to think about picking up a few extra bottles. The holidays are coming after all, and this is a wine that can comfortably age for the next five years, so you can forget about a few bottles for a while, if you so choose. The colour is light, typical of Pinot Noir. The nose is smoky with raspberry, sour cherry and a hint of vanilla . . . the nose also has typical telltale signs of Pinot, namely beets or, more apropos, earthy notes. Have no fear: those earthy notes are supposed to be there. The palate has plenty of tannins and acidity at this time but also puts cherry, vanilla and beets onto the tongue to go along with a bit of woodsy flavour. It’s a great wine to cut your teeth on Pinot and get to know the fabled grape from this part of the world.
Chanson Père & Fils 2010 Le Bourgogne Pinot Noir – $15.95 (till Nov. 11th – then back up to $17.95), #50575 (Rating: 4 stars – very good)