While I have never thought of myself as an excellent blogger. I have found that by providing you with my short blogs of knowledge, have helped me learn a little more with each topic. So, my next few blogs are going to be about different wines and my opinion on them. Sprinkling in some facts along the way. Today we are starting with some well known wines (or grapes if you will).
The Pinot Noir varietal has been around since the Roman times...
Pinot Noir is a black grape with thin skin, so be gentle. It requires cool to moderate climates to thrive. It is a difficult variety to grow, prone to rot and disease. This makes it tough to produce even small amounts of quality wines. Once you have found the one you love, it should be pale to medium in color. High acidity and low tannins, however some methods of producing use a technique call whole cluster fermentation where they use the whole bunch of grapes including stems in the crushing and fermenter. More tannins are found in the stems which result in higher tannin levels. You can identify the tannins by the drying feel in the front of the mouth. Most Pinot Noirs are fruit, refreshing and enjoyed while young (that would be the wine age, not the people age). The better quality Pinot Noirs will improve with long maturation and will develop complex flavors over aging years in the bottle. (Always store wine according to your "top" rules, cork on sides)
Side notes on Pinot Noir, they are not all red wines...
This particular blog we are referring to the red version of Pinot Noir. I figured thought I would side step to share the the Pinot Noir grape also provides some wonderful shades of whites and pale pinks... Pinot Gris/Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Blanc de Noir and Rose'.
My quest to educate on German wines continues!
Did you know that Germany is the THIRD largest producer of Pinot Noir in the WORLD? In Germany, it is known as Spatburgunder. So, when shopping in your favorite wine store/establishment, you may see Spatburgunder reflected, but you now know it is Pinot Noir from Germany. See previous blog on German labels to see other clues to pick a winner! So, no fear when reading labels!! When in doubt... Google it! Other delicious regions that produce this ravishing red are France, Burgundy, Chile and in the US, Oregon, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Onwards and upwards to Merlot...
I was one of those people who for a very long time shied away from Merlot because of that one bad bottle, one time a long time ago that gave me a terrible headache. Luckily, I have learned over the years that, it just might have been a bad Merlot. Merlot originated in Bordeaux as early as 1783 but now is planted all over the world! Merlot is the second most planted grape in the world and like Pinot Noir, Merlot can be enjoyed right away or aged to perfection. Merlot is a black grape that grows in moderate and warm climates. It is a drier wine with medium acidity and medium tannins. Merlot may be a bit trickier to find your fav but keep trying. If you purchase a just ripe merlot, it should be light to medium bodied, fruity flavors like strawberry, and red plum. A riper Merlot will produce medium to full body with a "cooked" black fruity taste, like blackberry and black plum. Another taste preference for you may be is it aged in oak or unoaked. I preferred less oaked wine, some is fine but to much is too much for my taste buds.
My quest continues on Merlot of Germany...
Although the most important regions for Merlot are France, Bordeaux, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and in the US (California), we do have a few fruity Merlot wines in Germany. Don't count them out!
All in all Pinot Noir and Merlot are two fabulous red wines
Pinot provides you with a refreshing fruity taste that you can drink with or without food! It can be enjoyed right away or saved years for a special occasion. (Like February 29... 2028, just a fun idea). It has several delicious cousins made into Pinot Noir blends, whites and rose'. Merlot, while makes a wonderful variety to create a blend, however it has proven to stand alone and stand strong. It has excellent aging ability too. I prefer my red wines chilled some. Roughly 60-68 max degrees. I don't think there is a wrong way to try wines though, except not trying at all! Prost! Cheers! Salud! Kanpai! Sante'! Salute'!
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