When the heat soars, most of us reach for a glass of sparkling, rosé or white wine. But if that’s not your choice (and you’re not ready for a beer), reach for a bottle of light to medium bodied red wine that you’ve chilled ever so slightly. Two of my favorites are high quality wines of Pinot Noir found in Northern California and Gamay from Cru Beaujolais.
Chilled? Of course! Put each wine in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes then remove and pop the cork. You’ll note brighter fruit and spice notes along with softer tannins because of the cool temperature of the wine. The complexity and richness will be maintained because the wines profiled below are exceptional.
Sip Pinot Noir from Northern California
Pinot Noir, a difficult grape to grow due to its high susceptibility to vine disease, thrives in a northerly climate where its complexity rings true. The variety reflects terroir like no other and depending on where it’s grown, Pinot Noir can produce intense, structured wines or those showing elegance and delicacy. When young, aromas may include blackcurrants, cherries, pepper and baking spice. A few years later, Pinot Noir may offer flavors of fruit compote, cherry liqueur, mushrooms or even truffles and leather. The variety produces wines with vibrant acidity and soft, well-integrated tannins.
About this wine! On the nose, I found intense notes of red cherries, milk chocolate covered strawberries and cloves. The round and balanced palate, with its vibrant acidity and satin-like tannins, exuded rich flavors of dark raspberries, hint of chocolate, cherries and bright spice. The lingering finish was elegant… just what I expected from this superior wine.
The Vice “The House” Pinot Noir 2019 ($25) is produced by a young husband and wife team, Malek Amrani and Torie Greenberg Amrani. A Napa Valley luxury brand made in small batches, The Vice portfolio of wines are grown biodynamically and are BevVeg! Certified Vegan.
The Pinot Noir in this easy drinking, food friendly wine is from grapes cultivated in organic vineyards with volcanic soil located on the foothills of Mount Veeder and the Mayacamas mountains on the Napa Valley side of Carneros. Fresh and elegant, I discovered aromas of earth, dark fruit, rhubarb, cedar and mint. The palate burst with notes of spice, lush red berries, cranberries and black tea surrounded with bright acidity and well-integrated tannins. The wine is unfiltered and spent 9 months in French oak before bottling. Your favorite “house wine” can be enjoyed anywhere with anything! 2900 cases of 750ml and 99 cases of 375ml were produced.
From certified sustainable estate vineyards Monterey County, Hahn SLH Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands 2018 ($25) was exceptional. Mirroring the fascinating terroir of the Santa Lucia Highlands, the words “fresh and complex” come to mind. In the area, the wind is legendary. Pushing south through the Santa Lucia Highlands from the Monterey Bay during growing season, the wind begins in the mid-afternoon and lasts until after dusk. Average maximum daily winds of 10-15 miles per hour and gusts up to 25 miles an hour effect change in the structure of the grape skins resulting in higher phenolics and deeper flavor. The wind also stops photosynthesis, giving Santa Lucia Highlands a shorter daily growth and physiological development in the vines and a longer growing season than most cool-climate regions.
Intense and aromatic, notes of dark berries, cola, baking spice and florals wafted from the glass of this luscious wine. Concentrated flavors of chalk, sour cherries, black raspberries, anise, herbs and chocolate drops were surrounded with snappy acidity and soft tannins. The finish was long and sophisticated.
Why Gamay from Beaujolais?
It’s no secret that I’m one of Beaujolais’ biggest fans. Many years ago my first taste of the region was in a wine from Fleurie, one of the ten Beaujolais Crus. Instantly seduced with its elegance, strength, and refinement, this was a brilliant introduction to many more beautiful selections I’ve since discovered.
The Gamay grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais, accounts for 95% of all vineyard plantings in Beaujolais where it has found its authentic expression. It’s just as enticing enjoyed young as it is from older vintages. Bright and aromatic, notes of fresh red fruit such as raspberries and cherries, rich blackberries and black cherries, red flowers and black pepper are predominant in many of the wines I’ve tasted.
The Geoffray family has been running Château Thivin since 1877 – it’s the oldest wine growing estate in Mont Brouilly. Biodiversity, hands on viticulture and vinification techniques are the norm in order to produce wines that are authentic reflections of terroir. This wine was a joy to taste and brought me back to the region I love. Intense, fresh aromas and flavors of just-picked cherries, raspberries, dried roses and local spices were mesmerizing. Pure and precise, vibrant acidity and velvet tannins provided a brilliant foundation to this lively, concentrated wine.
Château de Javernand Chiroubles “Les Gatilles” 2018 ($20) was notable. The altitude of Chiroubles is the highest of all the ten Crus. Pink granite is the predominant soil type, yet sandy soils are found as well. Smooth and racy, wine of Gamay from Chiroubles presents a fresh profile of red fruits and a basket of delicate flowers plucked from the garden.
At the Château, friends Arthur Fourneau and Pierre Prost produce wines from the estate founded by Arthur’s great-grandfather in 1817. Since 2018, the nearly 50 acres of vineyards have been undergoing organic conversion. A luscious example, the wine bursts with bright acidity, soft tannins and notes of red florals, boysenberries, pomegranate, sweet licorice, blueberries, cherries and spice on both nose and palate. Concentrated and soft from the first sip to the last, this wine was incredibly refreshing. The Gamay spent six months in concrete vats before bottling. Of note: “Les Gatilles” are the little gray lizards found in the vineyards of Chiroubles – they love to sit on the sandy, stony soils warmed by the abundant sunshine.
Michel Guignier Morgon “Vielles Vignes” 2019 ($20) is from a cru that’s the second largest in Beaujolais. Morgon, dominated by Mont du Py, boasts soils of granite, seams of “blue stone,” alluvial soils and clay blocks. The notable Cote du Py vineyards are composed of disintegrated slate. Full bodied and textured, ripe stone fruit, minerality, spice and lush red fruit notes in the wines are distinctive.
The lush and structured wine in my glass (chilled, of course!) exuded nuances of the 70 year old vines of Cru Morgon. Fourth generation vigneron Michel Guignier is an advocate for soil health and works “biodynamically, eschewing chemicals, employing composting and using traditional methods of winemaking.” On the nose, I found brilliant minerality, bright floral and orchard fruit notes. The palate was extravagant with red and dark blue fruits, orange peel, thyme and rosemary, and earth. Complexity with precise acidity and firm tannins, a bit of chill on the wine will brighten any summer day.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
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