It may seem odd to some that pinot noir is scarcely
mentioned in this blog. Contrary to what this may lead my readers to believe, I
am an ardent fan of this luscious wine. Unfortunately, pinots from Burgundy
have become far too expensive for my casual consumption. Adding to my dismay
with the high cost of wines from Burgundy is that on those rare occasions when I
did spend as much fifty dollars for a bottle, I was bitterly disappointed. My
assumption is that our retailers are either marking up wines from Burgundy
excessively, due to the wine region’s high regard amongst wine lovers or we are
not importing the best that Burgundy has to offer. Regardless of the reasons behind the high
prices and poor quality, I resolved to stop wasting my money any further.
Still, the longing for the lush taste sensation of pinot
noir lingered on as a fickle memory taunting me. Unwilling to give up entirely
on what I consider the noblest of all grapes, I turned my attentions to
domestic producers. Unfortunately, nearly all of the American pinots I tried left
an unpleasant bitter finish that is contrary to what I expect from any pinot
noir.
There is one exception to this and I would be remiss not
to mention it. Costa De Oro in Santa Barbara California makes a luscious pinot
noir that I tasted several years ago while visiting numerous wineries in the
central coast wine region of California. Regrettably, their distribution is
very limited outside of California and as a result I have not mentioned their
wine before. Except for Costa De Oro, I have never found a pinot noir worth
writing about—until now.
Last month, while visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston I decided to try a glass of pinot noir in one of their cafes. To my
utter delight it was wonderful! Every
sip exactly as I remembered pinot noir to be—medium bodied with luscious,
fruity raspberry acids and soft tannins combining to produce a velvety smooth finish.
I was once again enamored with one of my favorite wines—pinot noir. The producer of this little gem is Sea Glass
Wines. The grapes are grown in their vineyards in Santa Barbara California and the
wine itself is produced in their winery in Monterrey. Adding to my appreciation
for the Sea Glass pinot noir is an even more agreeable price, $9.99 at Standard
Liquors on Eddy Street in Providence, Rhode Island.
Once again, I am now able to savor the lush taste
sensations of pinot noir with roast turkey, duck and other fowls as well as a
variety of beef dishes such as beef stew, pot roast, meat loaf and more. Thank you Sea Glass!
