See below for what happened.........

New World Pinot Noir Wines

Join us at Papa Joe's Market as Jon Patrus, their head sommelier, will host the tasting and add his delightful comments for your enjoyment.

Glasses will be provided.  Wines will be accompanied by Papa Joe’s bread and an assortment of cheeses. Coffee and dessert will follow the tasting.

No smoking or strong fragrances, please.

 Attendees recognize they will consume alcohol and assume responsibility of having done so.

Members  $21.00            Guests   $23.00

What Happened.........

This tasting was organized by Betty Lou and Ed Nelson.

The aperitif was an old, but seldom seen wine, Bacchus, 2008 vintage by Weingut Janz, from the Rheinhessen. Made from a Sylvaner x Riesling cross, crossed again with Muller Thurgau, it is a most pleasant wine.

Jon Patrus, the Sommelier for Papa Joe’s Markets led the tasting, presenting the wines and telling us about the unique character of the Pinot Noir grape.  He said it is very variable, with dozens of clones in France alone.  The grapes contain many amino acids which complicate fermentation.  So there are good reasons for variance in the wines and the difficulty of making a truly great one.

He selected Pinot Noirs from around the world, emphasizing the best regions and quality.  He added a new region, Argentina, which he finds promising.

2009 Pinot Noir, Alfredo Roca, Mendoza, Argentina     $11.99

2005 Aloxe-Corton “Les Chailloots”, Louis Latour, France     $65.99

2007 Pinot Noir, “Cuvee de Trois”, Joseph Swan, Russian River, California  $38.98 

2006 Pinot Noir, “Waipara Valley” Pegasus Bay, New Zealand    $46.99 

2006 Pinot Noir, “Yamhill Cuvee” Domaine Serene, Willamette Valley, Oregon  $46.99 

The tasting was conducted blind with all the glasses filled and on the table, allowing us to make unprejudiced notes.  Jon queried the crowd on their reactions to them, adding information as we went along.  The results were somewhat surprising.   First, all of the wines were very good to excellent, and it was not easy to discern their origins.  Possibly, the young Argentina was easiest.  But the Burgundy from France did not stand out, as might have been expected.  The other three received the most praise.  

It was a very interesting and educational tasting and Jon did a superb job of selection and presentation.  Accompanying the wines were Papa Joe’s breads with cheddar and provolone cheeses.  There were desserts and coffee at the end.