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Read about it today, experience it tonight.
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Cantaluna 2004 Pinot Noir, Casablanca, Chile
An inexpensive pinot is worth its weight in gold,
(well not really, but it sure is rare and highly desired).
This tasty pinot noir is aged six months in French oak,
which adds spice and perfume.
It offers soft notes of red raspberries, strawberries and cola.
A very balanced pinot noir.
October 24, 2006.
-BF $12
Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins carries this wine.
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Sumaridge 2004 Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa
Smoky aromas waft from the glass and then carry over to the palate.
The wine is brimming with cherry flavors and notes of vanilla spice and clove.
The wine offers generous fruit flavors and is balanced and smooth.
It is an outstanding value for the money.
Tasted November 2, 2006
-BF $25
Little Raven Vineyards carries this wine.
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Omrah 2004 Pinot Noir, Western Australia
Australia has a reputation of being too hot for pinot noir.
In most cases this is true.
The Western Coast of Australia is contrary to this generalization
because of its cool weather.
This pinot noir is densely flavored.
It begins as tones of spring rain, evolving into cola-nut,
then super-extraced flavors of red raspberries on the mid-palate.
It sports generous acidity to balance against the intense flavors.
$18
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Leaping Lizard 2005 Pinot Noir, California
Another tasty pinot noir for the money.
The fruit is sourced from Carneros and exhibits
soft brambly berry flavors with soft earthy undertones.
It is concentrated, with good acidity.
The finish offers a hint of mint.
$12
Bonnie Brae, County Line and Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins carry this wine.
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Reserve St. Martin 2005 Pinot Noir, Languedoc, France
The phrase "good, inexpensive pinot noir" is an oxymoron.
Pinot noir is so difficult to grow that usually inexpensive versions
(and many pricier versions) have significant flaws.
I was very surprised and pleased to find the Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir.
It pleasantly avoids all the pitfalls like flavors of rubbing alcohol,
lack of mid-palate, lack of finish, or strong tannins.
Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir has soft aromas of roses, which carry over to the palate.
Flavors of red raspberries, sachet, and cola intermingle.
It reminds me of an expensive pinot noir with the volume turn down a touch.
A great value!
-BF $10
City Wine, Bonnie Brae, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins,
Durango Liquors, and County Line carry this wine!
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Schug 2005 Pinot Noir, Carneros, California
This is a smoky, sultry pinot noir.
The palate is extracted with notes of plum, spices and roasted vanilla bean.
The finish hints of strawberries and strawberry leaves.
It is a touch old world and showcases Carneros fruit beautifully.
-BF $16
Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Bonnie Brae, Joy Wine, and Durango Liquors carry this wine.
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Babcock 2005 Pinot Noir, Tri-County, California
This wine is consistently a winner.
This pinot noir is made from grapes from Santa Barbara,
Monterey, and Sonoma counties.
It is smoky, with deep notes of cherry and mint.
It offers dense flavors from the nose to the graceful vanilla finish.
A great wine to pair with just about any type of food.
Exceptional for the money.
-BF $22
Argonaut, Apple Jack, Davidsons,
Harvest Wine & Spirits, Centennial Wine & Spirits,
Ace Discount Liquors, Liquorland, and Superior carry this wine.
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Bethel Heights 2004 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
A bright pinot noir with focused acidity.
Notes of raspberries and pomegranites fill the palate.
The white pepper tannins are soft, yet offer a slight grip.
This is a new world meets old world pinot noir.
Good fruit and a touch of terroir.
Tasted November 2, 2006
-BF $30
carry this wine.
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Bouchard Ainé & Fils 2004 Pommard, Burgundy, France
Like a bouquet of roses on the nose, this Pommard's aromas delight.
Its palate is very concentrated with a notes of cherry skins, and sandalwood.
This old world pinot noir is a great candidate for the wine cellar,
it should open up with a four to six hours of breathing.
Tasted November 2, 2006
-BF $76
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Bouchard Ainé & Fils 2004 Chambolle-Musigny Les Cres, Burgundy, France
A bright pinot noir with ample acidity.
Notes of wild cherries and lavender show upon opening.
This is fine Burgundy offering all the mystique.
Spice and earthy tones evolve as the wine breathes.
Another candidate for the wine cellar;
open four to six hours before drinking.
Tasted November 2, 2006
-BF $70
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Matua 2004 Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand
Dark and dense on the glass.
The palate offers lighter cola nut, vanilla and bright cherry flavors.
It offers all the things a good pinot should have.
Fruit, a mid-palate, a finish, and no off flavors.
New Zealand offers us many fine examples of pinot noir.
Tasted September 14, 2006
-BF $16
Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction, City Wine, Bonnie Brae, and Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins carry this wine.
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Rockburn 2003 Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
This is a very small production wine.
It is complicated and balanced, offering an intersection of new world and old world styles.
It's canvas of red raspberries and strawberries are complimented by notes of
violets, chocolate, earth, and cola nut.
The finish is floral and generous.
The acidity gives it great structure,
it tannins will allow it to lay down in a cellar for a few years.
Tasted November 5, 2006
-BF $35
Mayfair, Libations, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Highpoint Liquors,
Springs Liquor Outlet, and Westlake Wine & Spirits
carries this wine.
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Torlesse 2004 Pinot Noir, Canterberry, New Zealand
This is a very perfume-like wine.
The aromas of roses carry to the palate.
Soft flavors of red raspberries, cola,
and mint mingle with slight white pepper tannins and zesty acidity.
Tasted November 5, 2006
-BF $23
Bubbles, Highpoint Liquors, Vintages in Colorado Springs, Colorado Liquor Outlet, and
Fishes carries this wine.
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Red Truck 2004 Pinot Noir, California
A good quality pinot noir that offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Vanilla tones waft from the glass and carry over to the palate.
It offers flavors of strawberries, earthy notes, clove, and mint.
Tasted October 8, 2006
-BF $12
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Jacuzzi 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California
This is a concentrated pinot noir.
Spicy aromas and notes of roses rise from the glass.
On the palate, this wine offers notes of earth,
tar, clove, cola nut and bright wild cherry flavors.
The acidity is balanced against the deep flavors.
The tannins are soft, yet offer enough grip to pair with lean or fatty foods.
Tasted October 8, 2006
-BF $22
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Etude 2004 Pinot Noir, Carneros, California
This is a very concentrated pinot noir.
Brooding flavors of cherry and cola penetrate the palate from beginning to end.
It has a perfume sachet on the finish.
The structure offers just enough tannins, acidity, and fruit.
Tasted September 14, 2006
-BF $40
Bonnie Brae, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction and Durango Liquors carry this wine.
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Lorca 2003 Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Monterey, California
Polished and soft, this pinot noir is a regal offering.
The fruit is forward with flavors of red raspberries, clove, vanilla, and smoke.
The feel of this wine is silky in the mouth.
The finish offers roasted notes of cola nut.
A special bottle of wine showing how elegant and
vibrant cool weather California pinot noir can be.
This wine is extremely limited.
There are placements around Colorado.
If you see one and you're open to spending the money, this is an exceptional bottle of wine.
Tasted October 25, 2006
-BF $45
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Lorca 2001 Gary's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Monterey, California
A sultry offering with bright notes of wild cherries on the palate.
Spice, vanilla, hints of anise, and
spring rain are layered as notes of roses sweep the finish.
The balance makes this wine smooth, yet attention-getting.
This wine is extremely limited.
There are placements around Colorado.
If you see one and you're open to spending the money, this is an exceptional bottle of wine.
Tasted October 25, 2006
-BF $40
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Pink Truck 2005
Okay, this was supposed to be a pinot noir only issue,
but I know many of you will have to buy a white zinfandel for you holiday dinner.
This wine was created to give white zinfandel drinkers a better quality option.
Not only is it a step up from the mainstream, cookie-cutter white zins,
but makes a great wine for spicy-hot food,
and hard to pair fare, like ham, turkey, and salads.
A blend of zinfandel, grenache and mourvedre,
this rosé, yes that's right it's a rosé,
is loaded with flavors of raspberries, strawberries, lime,
cinnamon spice, and tangerine.
It still has some residual sugar sweetness,
but is not as sweet as most mainstream white zins,
which makes it a perfect bottle of wine for
hot cuisine like Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian.
Bursting berry flavors, soft mouthfeel and acidity make it a great pick for Thanksgiving.
$11
Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction and County Line carries this wine.
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Pinot noir-high maintenance grape
Pinot noir is the most difficult grape to grow. It likes cool nights and warm, not hot days. It prefers a long growing season, what we call long 'hang time.' When it ripens fast from too much sun it tastes like rubbing alcohol, lacks a mid-palate, or fails to have a finish. When the flavor of alcohol is present we describe the wine as 'hot.' This is why the cool growing regions of California, Burgundy, Oregon, Champagne, and New Zealand are best for pinot noir.
Pinot noir is genetically unstable and can mutate into another grape when unhappy. Some of these mutated versions have been cultivated as their own varieties. Pinot blanc, pinot gris, and pinot meunier are pinot noir mutants that have made a name for themselves. Usually, pinot mutants are not wine worthy and cause despair when they develop on the vines.
Utmost care must be used when handling pinot noir because of its thin skin. Unwelcome amounts of tannin will develop if the skins break during pressing. If a grower forgoes using automated equipment, the cost for human handling increases the cost of the wine.
When this high maintenance grape is pampered its flavors are sumptuous. Pinot noir should be perfume-like on the nose. That perfume should carry over to the palate, harmonizing with sultry tannins, and a notable finish. A good one will have bright notes of raspberry, strawberry, plums, or ripe cherries with a balanced mouth-watering acidity. Smoke, licorice, flowers, fresh herbs, clove, mint, cola nut, lavender, truffles, brambles, or spring rain are more flavors that a content pinot noir grape can produce.
Pinot noir is available in every range, but inexpensive ones can disappoint. Spending more money is not mandatory, but because of its fussy nature, paying a little more for this wine can prove rewarding.
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Vocabulary
Each week we'll include a few wine (or beer or spirits) terms.
To read more terms go to the
vocabulary
page. This page will grow as we add more terms.
new world:
comprises the countries Australia, New Zealand, Chile,
Argentina, South Africa, and the United States.
New world refers to a geographic area, but can also define a
style of wine.
The geographic parameters of the new world definition
are defined by a young wine industry and sunny weather.
The new world style is fruit-forward,
softer in acidity and tannins, and generally is not made to be
stored in a wine cellar for extended periods of time.
The old world has a wine history that often spans thousands of years.
old world:
comprises the countries France, Germany, Italy, Greece,
Spain and other European wine producing areas.
(Spain is often considered both old world and new world because of their new world styled wines,
even though they have been making wine for some five thousand years.)
Old world refers to geographic areas as well as a style of winemaking.
Old world wines often are grown in areas that struggle with getting enough sunlight.
the grape are often under-ripe and the wine are consequently more acidic.
oxidation:
is a flaw in wine that causes its flavors to become dull and flat.
Oxidation happens when the wine is exposed to air.
The more air it is exposed to the more the wine deteriorates.
When wine is bottled it often suffers from bottle shock,
a form of oxidation that causes the flavors to close up and
not be available again for weeks and sometimes months.
Oxidation happens when corks dry up in the neck of the bottle.
Allowing a wine to breathe is also oxidation and can improve the flavor
up to a certain point, usually a few hours, but sometimes more.
Sherries are wines that benefit from controlled oxidation.
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Brews
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Do you make your own beer?
If you make your own beer we are interested in your thoughts, recipes, and experiences.
If you would like to share with our readers, we will include you on our weekly newsletter and-or
add your contribution to our Do It Yourself section.
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Blue Moon Winter Ale, Golden, CO
Beautiful dark amber-red color.
The flavors bloom as the beer warms.
Thick head with lots of little bubbles has an aroma of a malted milk shake.
On the palate this holiday brew has subtle hints of almond, vanilla, and white chocolate.
The finish offers notes of cherries.
It is smooth, creamy and not bitter and makes a great crowd pleaser.
Delicate, elegant, subtle, and right on the money.
Try it with some pumpkin cheese cake--Thanks Glenn! -BF
Tasted November 18, 2006.
$8 a six pack
Corks, Primo Vino, County Line, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins and Liquor Barn carry this beer.
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Odell Brewing Company, Extra Special Red, Boulder, Colordo
This Red pours with a deep amber color and then explodes with flavors in your mouth.
A caramel canvas offers splashes of orange liqueur, tangerines, cloves, and spruce pine.
The finish offers notes of anise.
Makes a great gift for the micro-brew fan in your life.
This is a limited production beer will only be around for a few weeks. -BF
Tasted November 18, 2006.
$11 a six pack
Primo Vino and Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins carry this beer.
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Events
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