ADVERTISING: Advertorial — From Burgundy to Oregon, a love (hi)story about pinot noir

While I was familiar with Pinot Noir as a popular red wine grape, I didn't fully appreciate the fascinating history and complexity of this diva grape. The more I learned, the more enthralled I became by Pinot Noir. It is one of the world's most beloved grapes, prized for its elegance, aromas, and flavors. This finicky grape has a long and storied history, originating in the Burgundy region of France where it has been cultivated since Roman times.

While Pinot Noir is now widely grown around the world, I've always believed its true zenith is in Burgundy where it profoundly expresses the concept of terroir like no other grape. As an enthusiast, I was already familiar with how terroir — the climate, soil, and human effort — imbues wines with a sense of place. However, through recent experiences with the grape I gained an even deeper appreciation for how magnificently Pinot Noir captures terroir, offering flavors and aromas that can vary widely depending on where it's grown.

In Burgundy, Pinot Noir makes wines that are light in color yet complex. They offer notes of cherry, raspberry, violet, spice, earth, and mushroom. As they age, they develop savory, gamey qualities. Other Old World regions known for excellent Pinot Noir include Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria.

In the New World, Pinot Noir has become very popular in California, Oregon, New Zealand, Chile, and Australia. These regions mostly produce more fruit-forward wines with ripe berry flavors and less earthiness than their European counterparts. However, in places like Oregon, the cool climate and diverse soil types have enabled Pinot Noir to beautifully express the terroir of the Willamette Valley in a style uniquely Oregon's own. The region is gaining acclaim for terroir-driven Pinot Noirs that capture a true sense of place. Certain parts of California like the Santa Rita Hills are also excelling at terroir-driven Pinot Noir.

One aspect that surprised me after diving more into the world of Pinot Noir is the genetic instability of the grape. Over centuries of cultivation, Pinot Noir has spawned an array of clones, or genetic variations, which result in diverse wine styles. Winemakers today carefully select clones suited to their terroir and wine-making goals.

Compared to other red grapes, Pinot Noir has thinner skins and contains less color pigment. Therefore, Pinot Noir wines are paler in color and lower in tannins. They tend to be light to medium-bodied with fresh acidity. This makes them very food-friendly wines that pair well with salmon, poultry, pork, mushrooms, and earthy flavors. Think about that perfect Thanksgiving pairing!

Pinot Noir offers something for everyone from vibrant, fruity wines to complex, age-worthy styles. To taste the difference between Old World and New World Pinot Noir, I recommend trying the Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir for a fruit-driven California/New World style, the Jacques Bourguignon Pinot Noir for more earthy, subtle Burgundian/Old World styles, and the Devona Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir for an exemplary Oregon terroir-driven wine. All of course, available at The Dinner Party. Cheers!

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Laura Olson is co-owner of The Dinner Party along with her partner, Joe Petersen. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop or visit www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.