Why Pinot Noir ?

In the 2004 comedy “Sideways” Paul Giamatti plays a bona fide wine snob traveling around Southern California on a wine soaked trip with his soon-to-be married friend. The film is thoroughly enjoyable and I recommend it for anyone looking for laughs, wine lover or not. There are many wine references—don’t get me started on his misguided trashing of Merlot! —but the reason I mention it here is a soliloquy by Giamatti on why wines made with Pinot Noir are so special. View the scene here. 1

The Pinot Noir grape is called the heartbreak grape due to the many challenges it encounters in the vineyard from powdery mildew to gray mold to botrytis to bunch rot. It grows in small tight bunches (pinot is french for pine cone) that bud early so they are susceptible to spring frost (see 2022 Willamette Valley weather history for our 3 days of snow in early April!). The grape is thin-skinned (vs the thick skins of full bodied grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel) leading to its characteristic medium body, but which also contributes to its delicateness in the field and in flavor/aroma. It also invites many challenges for the vigneron (vineyard manager) to protect the grapes from mother nature. This grape is the epitome of high maintenance!