Pinot Noir - Fickle, Delicate and Difficult but So Worth It

Anyone who has seen the movie “Sideways” can attest to Myles, the lead character’s love for Pinot Noir. Well what’s not to love?  Here are a few tidbits that shine a light on this fickle, delicate and difficult grape.

Pinot Noir dates back 2000 years to Roman times. It predates Cabernet Sauvignon by over 1000 years!  Currently, it ranks as the 10^th most planted grape varietal in the world with France in the lead and the USA a close second for most acres planted. 

French for Black Pinecone, Pinot Noir’s moniker reflects its dark color and shape of the grape cluster.  Interestingly, Pinot Noir shares the same DNA with Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Blanc apart from a few color mutations.

A thin skinned grape prone to disease, rot and frost bite, Pinot Noir earns its fickle reputation.  It grows best in a cool damp climate near protected valleys and large bodies of water.  Difficult to ripen and easily damaged, this grape can give vintners a run for their money. 

Oh, but the outcome!  A light to medium bodied red wine, Pinot Noir is pale in color almost translucent with subtle flavors of spicy earth, black cherries, berries, and current. Pair it with grilled salmon, roast duck, pork loin, baked chicken or an earthy mushroom risotto. You will not be disappointed.

California and Oregon are the major Pinot Noir growers in the United States.  Oregon’s signature grape is Pinot Noir, gaining international accolades for their superior quality in both grapes and wine.  Because Wisconsin is not at all suited for growing Pinot Noir, Harbor Ridge sources this fine fickle grape from the Columbia Gorge, an appellation shared with Oregon and Washington, to produce our Pinot Noir. 

Launched in October of 2018, Harbor Ridge’s Pinot Noir is aged with French and American oak submerged in cool stainless-steel tanks for ten months.    Characteristically light in color, our Pinot Noir is delicate, yet savory with flavors of black cherry and berries and an undercurrent of spice.  Open a bottle, settle in and enjoy a glass. It’s so worth it. 

Get on the Rose` Bandwagon

In recent years, Rose` wine has swelled in popularity across the nation.  Everyone seems to have hopped on the Rose` Bandwagon.  Truly, this is one wagon we want to get on!   Here are some fun facts about the latest wine craze. 

The trendy pink drink is not all that new.  Despite its current popularity, Rose` was first made by the ancient Greeks in 7000 BC.  Rose` is a precursor to both red and white wine.

While Rose` can be made using several methods, the simplest explanation is that it is a wine made with only a portion of the color from its grape skins.  Dark red grapes are crushed and left with the skins and juice to soak together for two to three days.  The “must “, (skins and juice), is then pressed, after which the skins are removed as fermentation continues.  The longer the skins remain with the juice, the darker the color of the final product.

Rosé wines can be made using any red grape variety including the Marquette Grape grown in the Harbor Ridge Vineyard.  Others are made with the addition of some white grapes.  This blending introduces all sorts of additional flavors and aromas, making for an interesting and complex final product. 

Rose` wines range from sweet to very dry and everything in between.  The color spectrum includes shades of light pale pink, bright vibrant pink and every hue of pink in-between.  Best served at a white wine temperature (45 degrees), Rose` wines should be consumed within 2-3 years.

Known by the fashionable set as “Summer Water”, Rose` is a perfectly refreshing warm weather drink.  When summer ends, drinking Rose` continues. Not just for poolside parties, this is an incredibly versatile food friendly wine.  Pair it with tart goat cheeses, pastas, seafood, salads and spicy ethnic foods.   Enjoy this adaptable wine at summer barbeques, lady’s luncheons and Thanksgiving dinner.

Harbor Ridge Winery has two Rose` offerings. Our semi-dry, Double Gold Medal Bouquet Rosé introduced in 2016 was aptly named.  A blend of Marchel Foch, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer, it abounds with floral and fruity aromas just like a lovely bouquet, then ends with a crisp, but smooth finish.

New in 2019, our dry sparkling Cracklin’ Rose` is crafted with our 2018 estate grown Marquette Grapes.  Effervescent and vivacious with flavors of strawberry and melon, HRW’s newest offering will remind you of warm summer days in Door County. 

Now that you are armed with information about our favorite pink drink, we hope you and your friends will see the world with Rose` in your glasses.