Silky, lush, alluring, sexy, smooth and exotic describe this perfect Valentine's Day wine
Valentine's Day is almost here and I am sure everyone is planning romantic festivities for the special day. For those planning to dine out or have a special dinner at home, what better adult beverage to have than wine? Clearly, the rules of dining out in restaurants are here and for many it is a challenge. As of this writing, proof of vaccination and mask wearing are required in restaurants as well as other settings. Omicron has certainly put a damper on the excitement of dining out. We have been dealing with this for almost two years now, so, we shouldn’t let these obstacles deter us from enjoying a romantic evening but it is your choice. So, what wine to enjoy on that night?
There are myriad choices sure to please — many think of sparkling wines, sparkling rosés or still rosés and of course the usual suspects all of which are quite suitable. But if you have been following this column, you have probably guessed that I will choose Pinot Noir.
Why Pinor Noir on Valentine's Day
Why? Pinot Noir satisfies everything I am looking for in a red wine. It is a dry wine, light- to medium-bodied, subtle, with silky tannins and great acidity displaying aromas of fruit such as strawberry, cherry, raspberry and blackberry. Underlying those are earth-driven aromas such as mushroom and leather, followed by hints of spices such as cinnamon and clove, then tobacco and smoke.
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Pinot Noir typically possesses good acidity, the backbone of a good wine, without which it basically is fermented grape juice. As one can see (and smell and taste), a good Pinot Noir is a complex wine, not necessarily one to drink on your porch, but rather to be enjoyed with food. This is the major reason I prefer this varietal.
Food pairings with Pinot Noir
Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, where pairings are limited and the wines tend to be heavier; Pinot Noir goes with a much larger array of food. It works with so many dishes and fits in with today’s cuisines perfectly. Think of pork, poultry, beef, bacon, lamb, creamy sauces, spicy seasonings, even seafood — yes, red wine with seafood! Today, we eat so much grilled tuna, swordfish, salmon and sushi and Pinot Noir is the perfect wine with those seafood dishes, especially when grilled, picking up those hints of smoke and caramelization. Being a town that loves seafood and has so many great restaurants to choose from, this is your wine.
When I see dishes in restaurants that have mushrooms incorporated, Pinot Noir is the wine for them, too. Pinot Noir is the match, so why not order it? As for those ubiquitous cheese courses, Pinot loves Brie, Camembert, Gruyere and goat cheeses. Stay away from strong-flavored cheeses.
Where does Pinot Noir come from?
Burgundy, France, is where the great Pinot Noirs hail from and is the standard to which all others are held. Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow. It likes warm days and cool nights, demands optimal conditions and is grown in smaller quantities; hence the price of good Pinot Noirs, as I have mentioned before, is going to be more, but again, well worth it!.
Newport Vineyards has a good Pinot Noir on hand; it sells for about $25 and you get to shop local. Pinot Noir grows all around the world, but I want to focus on two areas well known for their Pinots — California and Oregon. It has taken years, but both areas have figured out where the grape does best.
California Pinots tend to be a bit heavier and over-extracted, whereas Oregon Pinots are a bit lighter, more Burgundian in style. The terroir has that effect. Nevertheless, both states are giving Burgundy a run for their Euros! And I always look for appellation-specific bottles, not those with an Oregon or California appellation. While they are good, the specific AVA wines offer a terroir-specific wine, to me, better.
Pinot Noir, to me, is the most versatile red wine there is. Pinot Noir benefits from being slightly chilled, remember, temperature is an important part of enjoying wine and it varies from grape to grape. Wine writers often use words like silky, lush, alluring, sexy, smooth and exotic to describe Pinot Noir. Sounds like a Valentine wine for me!
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Of interest this year is that the Super Bowl happens to be taking place for the first time ever the night before and although the Patriots won’t be participating our favorite ex-Patriot is still in the hunt — Mr. Brady. Whoever is playing, Super Bowl Sunday is about as close to a national holiday as it can get without being officially declared so. House parties are the rule so much so, that I used to close The Mooring at 5:00 pm or so, as virtually nobody dines out that night, and the staff want to partake in their homes with their friends. Again, as COVID-19 rears its ugly head for large gatherings it may adversely impact gatherings. But, as for food that day, pizza and nachos come to mind and Pinot Noir will do just fine with them.
This month’s PSA.
I started out by saying that the mandates are in place which makes it a bit difficult for restaurant staff to ask for proof of vaccination cards. But so be it. Restaurants continue to struggle with not only staff shortages but staff illnesses which force individual restaurants to make adjustments to what they are able to do. Some close for lunch, some close entire days and coupled with supply chain issues, some adjust menus which in many cases because the culinary team may well be short, change the whole menu. So, obviously, things are different and if you don’t want to go to dine at a restaurant, picking up or having food delivered truly helps them out.
Above all, be safe, enjoy the game and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Len Panaggio is a wine consultant and former corporate beverage director for Newport Harbor Corp. Send feedback and suggestions to lcp23223@gmail.com. The Wine Press runs each month in The Daily News and online at newportri.com.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Wine choices for Valentine's Day: Pinot Noir is the perfect match
