I am on the plane back to San Antonio, TX after attending a Chef Conference in Portland OR.

While I was there I visited some of the best Pinot Noir wineries in that area.  The Northwest, Washington and Oregon, have some of the best climate for this grape and I was privileged to travel the Willamette Valley and do samplings.  California, British Columbia, and New York also have premier wineries producing great Pinot Noir.

The wines that standout in my mind came from Elk Cove, WillaKenzie, Stangeland, and Witness Tree.

Argyle, Duck Pond, Rex Hill and Sokol Blosser were other wineries with good wines.

There are a wide range of characteristics with the Pinot.  It usually does not have the heavy tannin structure associated with other red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon.  Pinot is one of the more difficult varietals to grow, pick and ferment into quality wine.  The berries have a thinner skin and therefore make it more delicate to handle.  Pinot Noir has its origins in Burgundy, France and has found its way to North America.  Some enthusiasts consider it the ‘ultimate wine for food’. 

Pinot grapes seem to reflect more Gout de Terroir, or ‘flavor of the soil’, than other varietals.

With Thanksgiving approaching, Pinot Noir would be a great choice for turkey, ham, and other pork dishes.  Also serve with lamb, wild game birds and dark fleshed fish.  Roasted root vegetables, medium brown sauces and sweeter cranberry sauces would be enhanced with the fruity and sometimes smoky flavors in many Pinots.

Pinot Noir is not the least expensive wine from a good producer, though there several moderately priced wines in a well stocked wine or liquor store.

My visit to Sokol Blosser included a brief tour of their property and an explanation of their vineyard practices

Sokol is dedicated to managing both the vineyards and winery using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

They have eliminated the use of chemicals and pesticides and are working towards an ‘organic’ designation.  There is adjacent land that is not organic and due to the proximity to Sokol, Sokol cannot achieve this.  The choice, as explained to me, is to get the adjacent land into organics or loose a few rows of vines to get the distance between the properties in compliance.

Included are web-sites for further information.  Many wineries will ship to any state where it is permitted by state regulation.

Below is a list of a few great wines that I was able to taste:

Elk Cove
www.elkcove.com

2002 Reserve Pinot Noir
2002 Roosevelt Pinot Noir
Elk Cove also produces a fine Viognier

Stangeland
www.stangelandwinery.com

2000 Winemakers Estate Reserve
2000 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
2000 Millers Vineyard Pinot Noir

Witness Tree
www.witnesstreevineyard.com

2001 Vintage Select Pinot Noir

Rex Hill
www.rexhill.com

2000 Reserve Pinot Noir
2001 Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sokol Blosser
www.sokolblosser.com

2001 Old Vineyard Block Pinot Noir (from 29 year old vines)

WillaKenzie
www.willakenzie.com

2001 Triple Black Slopes Pinot Noir
2001 Emory Pinot Noir

Argyle
www.argylewinery.com

2000 Nuthouse Pinot Noir