For afficionados of pinot noir red wines, looking beyond Bourgogne, France, occasionally makes sense. Bourgogne has been the epicenter of high-quality pinot noir production for over 1,100 years, and it remains so today.
But taking the adventurous approach beyond Bourgogne is useful especially when late spring frosts, mid-summer hailstorms and early fall mold and mildew damage Bourgogne’s grapes extensively.
Consider the following wines beyond the pale in Bourgogne:
East of Bourgogne, growers in the Franche-Comté region formerly produced large quantities of pinot noir wines until a combination of deadly vine diseases and devastating wars ravished both the vineyards and the local population.
Grape growing almost disappeared entirely.
But vignerons such as Pascal Henriot persevered, and today the Franche-Comté is enjoying a pinot noir renaissance. Try the 2022 Pascal Henriot, “La Réserve de l’Alouette, L’Assemblée Locale,” I.G.P. Franche-Comté ($39.99 at Apteka Restaurant and Bottle Shop in Pittsburgh).
Cheers!
The wine comes from a combination of organically grown pinot noir (75%) and gamay (25%) from the commune of Champlitte. Known as Passetoutgrain, this style of easy drinking, low alcohol, blended wine traditionally appeals to hardworking grape pickers typically with lunch during the intense, long days of the harvest.
“Henriot’s wines are soft-spoken and elegant, yet sophisticated,” says Apteka’s head sommelier Kolin Smith. “They are honest wines of a bygone era. Even though we don’t carry a lot of French wines, we always try to stock Henriot’s wines. We love how beautifully they pair with our food.”
This wine’s ruby color offers intriguing aromas of dark fruits, savory herbs and a touch of earthiness. On the palate, lively, vibrant flavors of black cherries and smoky herbs balance with dazzling, fresh acidity, and smooth, lingering tannins in a long finish. At only 12% alcohol by volume, it’s very frank and delicious. It’s imported by MFW Wine Co., one of Smith’s favorite suppliers.
About a four-hour drive northeast from Pascal Henriot, winegrower Frank Meyer is growing excellent Pinot Noir grapes in the village of Gleiszellen-Gleishorbach, in Germany’s Rheinpfalz wine appellation in the Baden region. Try the tasty 2020 Stiftsweingut Frank Meyer, ‘Black Pin “Wild,”’ Spätburgunder, Rotwein Trocken, Pfalz, Germany ($29.99, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board No. 22927).
This dry pinot noir (known as “spätburgunder” in German) has a dark ruby color offering tantalizing aromas of blackberries, black pepper and roasted herbs. On the palate, fresh flavors of raspberries, black berries, and elegant oak nuances meld with vibrant, zesty acidity and silky tannins.
It is a well-balanced red wine with a long, pleasant finish. It’s imported by Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania-based Credo Imports, an excellent, emerging importer of quality wines from Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
Germany is currently making excellent Pinot Noir s, and not just in Baden. Germany used to be well known for PN from the Ahr Valley, among the furthest north wine regions of Germany. Years ago, they were almost a cross between red and rosé, now they are deeply colored, rich and can even be tannic. They are recovering from the historic and horrific flood of July, 2021. And there are dozens of excellent PNs in all other regions of Germany. It’s a combination of climate change, excellent viticulture and viniculture, along with producer desire and skill