River’s Edge Pinot Noir (2007 – Red Wine)

Jul 29 2009

River's Edge Winery

What do you get when you take great soil, lots of sunlight, and some hard work? Oregon wine! What do I think Oregon does REALLY well? Pinot noir! Yes, today we talk a little about Pinot Noir. Specifically the River’s Edge 2007 Pinot Noir, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

A little history: Pinot noir (pronounced Pino nwar), is a red wine grape. The name is French, coming from the words “pine” & “black” or “dark”. While grown in many places of the world, a couple that really stand out to me are the Burgundy regions of France and of course the Willamette & Umpqua valleys of Oregon.

Now, on to the tasty part. River’s Edge winery, really does sit on the edge of the Umpqua River and produces some very fine wines. One of my favorites from this particular hotspot, is the 2007 Pinot Noir. Here’s my thoughts on it:

Bouquet. Aroma. Nose. All the same thing, but all VERY important in this particular wine, and in any wine or food really. If you can smell something, you can taste it THAT much better. Get into this bottle. Open it up, let it set, or better yet, dump the whole thing into a decanter and give it a nice rough swirl. Don’t be shy, you wont hurt it. Now, pour yourself a glass, stick your nose into it, and let the smokey, fresh cigar aroma get you ready for what comes next.

Your first sip. I’m talking earthy, dark current, cherries, and a slight vanilla undertone that pairs AMAZING with a nice seasoned pork chop. Hell, I’ve even cooked pork IN this wine. Have a glass with a crazy goat cheese, or a nice creamy brie. As with many pinots, it goes amazingly well. You may notice a buttered toast finish if your palate is extra sharp!

Go out and grab a bottle for around 18 bones. You’ll be glad you did!

Category
Pinot Noir
Reviews
Wine

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Pio Pinot Noir (Red Wine – NV)

Jul 27 2009

Pio Pinot Noir

Pio Pinot Noir – Invoking a Passion

All I wanted was a nice glass of wine when I finally arrived in Philadelphia. The Pio Pinot Noir delivered exactly that. Its scent foreshadowed a tart first note, and I wasn’t deceived. As the first drops hit my tongue, the tartness brought back memories of cherries and berries. The sip ended with a smooth finish without many tannins. The bright, deep red looked darker late at night than I expect it would during the day.

I formed an initial impression of a strangely light Pinot Noir, strange because I expected something a bit heavier, with more body. As I sipped my glass of wine, hints of coffee said hello. As I continued to sip, the coffee notes further developed and balanced out the tartness.

For someone who loves her coffee, a wine like this pleases the palate. Now all I need to find is a coffee with hints of wine.

An drank the Pio Pinot Noir from Italy ($6.00/glass) at Vintage, blocks from Philadelphia’s City Hall. She paired the Pinot Noir with gorgonzola and fig bruschetta on toasted baguette, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and slivered walnuts.

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Pio Pinot Noir a 3.5 of 5.