I have had a few epiphanies recently, the first being that I thought I didn’t care for Oregon Pinot Noir, only to discover that I simply needed to find the right Oregon Pinot Noir. The second is all about the impact of weather on wine, which is the unlock that helped me find “the right Oregon Pinot Noir.” Here’s what was revealed to me that changed my outlook: cold weather vintages result in wines that are more acidic, tart and thin than the lusher, fruiter and in some cases, more alcoholic wines that come from warm years.
You might be saying “no duh,” but I hadn’t realized the impact of weather on wine until I interviewed Scott Shull, the winemaker from Raptor Ridge Winery in Oregon. He clued me in that weather is the most uncontrollable factor that goes into making wine and it’s what makes each vintage unique. In some cases, winemakers create blends so that they can achieve consistency year after year, but when you are drinking varietal wines (i.e.; wines made from a single grape) it helps to understand a little bit about the effect of weather.
Change in Weather, Change in Wine
Once I had an intellectual understanding of the role of weather, I needed to have a sensory understanding as well. Hence My Wine Tribe’s recent tasting of Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir from 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Each wine was made by the same winemaker and all are from grapes that come from the same vines, rooted in the same 15 acres, farmed by the same guy. They each sell for $45 a bottle. The only difference between the wines we tried was the year they were made, and to a large extent that means weather.
The big question was whether or not we could truly taste the differences in vintage (yes!) and whether or not there would be preferences by tribe (yes!). I can honestly say that no one really expected to taste huge differences between years, but we were all blown away by how unique each vintage was. (Not sure what tribe you’re in? Take this fast and easy quiz to find out. Once you know your tribe, the recommendations below will be more relevant to you.)
The Results
We first sampled all of the wines without food and then tried them again with. Because Pinot tends to be a little lighter and a bit more acidic, it’s a great wine to pair with food. Interestingly, some of our tasters who didnt like the wines on their own, changed their tune when trying the wines paired with food.
We tried the wines in this order:
– 2011: an unusually cold year
– 2013: started off normal, then got drenched in rain
– 2010: cooler than normal
– 2012: normal weather conditions, nothing unusual
– 2014: an unusually hot year
Wine Picks by Palate
If you’re going to serve Pinot Noir with food, go for the cooler years. In general, the tribes all agreed that the 2010, 2011 and 2013 vintages were the most food friendly as they let the food shine.
Specifically, the Balanced Tribe preferred the 2010 and 2011 with food. But if they were to drink a wine on its own, they wanted the 2014. The Balanced Tribe found the 2014 vintage’s flavors of baking spices and cherry pie, coupled with its consistency (“smooth like butter”) to be ideal for by on-its-own quaffing. With food, though, the Balanced Tribe found this one a little too sweet.
The Developed Tribe liked all of the wines, with particular love going to the 2012 (normal year) and the 2013 (rainy year). The 2012 was a winner due to its spicy scents, tastes of dried cherry and a unique, dry mouthfeel. Mouthfeel was a big thing for this tribe as they described the mouthfeel of the 2013 as “thick,” “rich” and “full.” While it was a little too acidic without food, when paired with the appetizers, the tribe noted how it’s flavor changed from “tart cherry” to “spiced Bartlett pear” and “dark berries”.
The Complex Tribe preferred the 2011 (cold year) and 2012 (normal year). What’s interesting is that they liked the 2011 because it “didn’t interfere with food” and they liked the 2012 because “it complemented the food.” They too noted the dry, tannic sensation of the 2012, and this was a plus for them.
Weather Matters to Wine
So what are the big takeaways? Weather matters. Cooler years produce grapes with more acid, which result in wines that are food friendly, but which on their own might seem a bit tart and lean. Drinking wine by itself or not so into acid? Go with a Pinot from a warmer year.
Bonus: Recipes!
The tribe and I like to cook (and, of course, to eat) and we outdid ourselves at this event. At the end of the night everyone was asking for recipes, so I thought you might like to try a few as well.
From My Wine Tribe’s editor Kathleen (by way of PBS’s “Fresh Tastes” blog) we have the amazing mushroom bruschetta.
From yours truly we have roasted yams (from the LA restaurant Gjelina). Note that I have already made these 4 times since the night of the tasting…delish.
And finally, from Morgan, my food blogging friend (she is one half of the blog Streusel and Strudel) we have the most awesome chocolate caramel cake ever.
Cheers!