The 6th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout...A Wine Challenge

Why another Pinot Noir Shootout? Because I’m crazy...about Pinot Noir!

No wine seduces me like Pinot Noir. Yes, I enjoy and sometimes crave other wines...rich and well-balanced Chardonnay, crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner, a full-bodied, complex Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon with some age, or a brash and fruity California Syrah or Australian Shiraz. But given my first love, or in answer to the questions, “What is you favorite wine?” and “If you could only have one wine for the rest of your life...” I can only respond emphatically, “PINOT NOIR!”

Pinot Noir is often described as being a difficult grape, to grow, to deal with in the winery, and to find truly great examples of, but fans (and I among them) are passionate about this varietal. 

In a way, Pinot lovers are adventurers on a quest, always seeking that next great and best ever Pinot Noir. They are willing to taste through a lot of wines to find it. Some may call us obsessed. So it was with our Pinot Noir Shootout panel...

Our panel tasted 267 wines.

The 6th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout included Pinots from around the globe, including France, Italy, Australia (Tasmania too), and New Zealand. Stateside, California and Oregon dominate the wine submissions; however, Pinot Noirs also came in from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Unique aspects of the PN Shootout:

• The most comprehensive and focused tasting of Pinot Noir in the US, utilizing an incredibly diverse panel of experts. 
• All wines are tasted blind. (How could you ever do it differently?)
• Just 32 wines are tasted by the experts per day (four flights of eight wines each), allowing the judges to be completely immersed, focused and fair to the wines. 
• There’s no palate fatigue as a factor. 
• All wines are tasted without reference to producer, appellation or price.
• Each wine is judged and reviewed on its own merit.
• The wines are rated using a 100 point scale. Copious notes are required and the notes and the ratings must have continuity or the scores are not recorded.
• For the Pinot Noir Shootout, the wines were placed into flights and evaluated by a team of judges over a period of six weeks. 
• The top 64 wines were selected for The Pinot Noir Shootout Final.  These wines were tasted and reviewed by two panels of experts – each expert panel tasted only 32 wines, again allowing the judges to be completely immersed, focused and fair to the wines.
• For the 6th year in a row, The Pinot Noir Shootout chronicled comments and observations on each wine by gender.

The 6th Annual Pinot Summit carried the theme through as above allowing each of the attendees to taste the wines blind and compare their findings to the panels’.

The Pinot Noir Shootout is the only competition in which the judges’ conclusions are put to the test by an unbiased panel of wine lovers at The Final Showdown.

We do not disclose the wines that will be tasted in the blind tasting at The Pinot Noir Summit...that would ruin the fun and the challenge.

Additionally, we document the male and female reactions and preferences separately to attempt to access whether men and women prefer different styles in Pinot Noir.

Complete results of the 6th Pinot Noir Shootout with comments by gender

Why would anyone want to taste that many Pinot Noirs?  You’d be surprised!  With some of our other panels, I have to contact people over and over and to get them to commit to joining us. With our Pinot Noir panel, I have a waiting list. Pinot is so elusive and inviting, constantly evolving in the bottle and the glass...and may I say again, sexy!

My fascination with Pinot Noir began so long ago it’s hard to remember what the songs were playing on the radio but I can still remember the experience – I was seduced. The nose drew me in...perfumed with deep fruit, rich, full and powerful. The flavors danced on my tongue and the satiny finish hooked me for life.

Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate. A supple and sexy wine, Pinot Noir, at its best, is luxuriously exquisite and elegant. Pinot Noir is the ultimate red wine for pairing with food. The celebrated red wines of the French district of Burgundy are Pinot Noir. The number of Pinots being produced world wide are mind boggling creating new wines to taste often.

Pinot Noir has multiple personalities making it an exciting wine to explore and a frustrating wine to produce. Pinot is complex and delicate, temperamental, fragile and difficult to grow, a challenging wine to ferment, finicky, silky and sexy, and reflective of the Gout de Terroir (the flavor of the soil).
 
Producing great Pinot Noir is no easy task for even for the most accomplished of winemakers. Vineyard and clonal selection are critical. Pinot Noir is not only tolerant of cold climates but seems to thrive and be more complex when challenged by them. Difficulties plague Pinot Noir at every step from propagation through bottle aging. No single grape type is more temperamental or difficult to work with than Pinot Noir. Several top winemakers have turned prematurely gray attempting to coax the hidden beauty and potential from this finicky grape.

Unpredictable at times, my favorite Pinot Noirs are enchantingly seductive with intense aromas, complex flavors and long silky textures.

Pinot Noir lovers seem to have endless adjectives to describe the flavors and aromas of this intoxicating wine. Fruit flavors and aromas are varied including black cherry, raspberry, cranberry, fresh strawberry, strawberry jam, Bing cherry, and blueberry.  In finer offerings look for rose petal, cinnamon, vanilla, anise, black pepper, and an array of assorted other spices.  Click here for a list of aromatic and flavor characteristics found in Pinot Noir

Don't expect deep inky colors like you find in Cabernet Sauvignon. The color of Pinot Noir ranges from a light red almost rose to a deep garnet. Inhale the aromas, enjoy the flavors. Pinot Noir should be delicate with deliciously ripe, concentrated strawberry, raspberry, cherry or other berry flavors and can have barnyard overtones and luscious spices. It is difficult to describe all the flavors and styles of Pinot Noir.  It is estimated that there are more than 11,000 different clones world wide that produce a wide variety of styles from heavy, jammy, "in your face" wines, to light, delicate but complex wines and all possible combinations in between. If your glass of Pinot Noir is special, the mouth feel will be rich and silky if not outright velvety. Pinot Noir at its best is sexy; elegant, smooth and velvety on the tongue...satin sheets in a bottle.

Pinot Noir grapes grow exceptionally well in cooler climates where lower sugar, higher acids and lower pH's contribute to wines with great aging potential yet relative delicacy.

When drinking Pinot Noir, look for elegance. Enjoy the bouquet. The balance and the layers of flavor will envelop you. Let this sexy wine entice your senses! Let the wine caress your tongue! Experience Pinot Noir and you will be seduced!

There are many other wonderful wine varietals but I can't think of any other wine type which captures so many flavors, aromas, and sensations as Pinot Noir.

And if you like Pinot Noir alone, just try it will food!  Pinot Noir can be enjoyed with an amazing array of dishes...fish, lamb, poultry, some game, and mushrooms.  The acidity in great cool climate Pinot Noir that has judicious use of oak will allow it to marry with acidic and spicy sauces which other red wines do not embrace.

Our panel is very fortunate indeed to have the opportunity to taste these wonderful wines and we are very cognizant of the fact that our conclusions matter and have impact, so we take our responsibility very seriously.

The incredible lineup of 267 top quality Pinot Noirs submitted from growing regions the world over were critically reviewed by a diverse panel of 42 wine professionals.

Affairs of the Vine, International Wine Review and Wine Works orchestrated the 6th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout which followed on the heels of other highly acclaimed "Shootouts." The tasting panels are comprised of a diverse range of wine industry professionals from varying disciplines including restaurant and retail trade, winemakers, wine writers, wine educators, and consultants. The Pinot Noir 6th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout judging panel included:

Anthony Austin, Winemaker
Scott Brunson, Chef and Culinary Educator
Scott Clemens, Editor, Epicurean Traveler
Michael Cervin, Wine Writer
Susan Darwin, Wine Consultant
Debra Del Fiorentino, Wine Consultant, Wine Radius
Barbara Drady, Wine Evangelist, Affairs of the Vine
John Drady, Vintner
Rusty Gaffney, The Prince of Pinot, http://www.Pinotfile.com
R. Gallyot, Pleasures in Taste
Alan Goldfarb, Regional Correspondent, Appellation America
David Heppberger, Wine Consultant, Buyer Menlo Circus Club
Linus Hollis, Wine Consultant
Ray Johnson, TasteWine: Wine Writer, Educator
David P. Jones, Wine Works: Wine Writer, Educator,
James T. Kennedy, Wine Editor, Gastronomic Society of Southern California
Ellen Landis, Wine Director: Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, CA
Ken Landis, Chef, Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn, Half Moon Bay, CA
Shelby Ledgerwood, Wine Conusultant, http://www.mywinesavant.com
Aaron Luna, Wine Consultant
Ellen Mack, Partner, Russian Hill Winery
Bill McNabb, Wine Editor, Piedmont Post
Paul Manchester, Vintage 59 Imports
Jarrod Marfin, Chef
Robert Mosby, GM, Benovia Winery
Kathe Morris, Wine Consultant & Educator, Over A Barrel Wines
Ben Narasin, Freelance Food & Wine Writer
Mike Potashnik, PhD, Co-Publisher, International Wine Review
Martin Reyes, Wine Buyer, St. Helena Wine Center
Ron Rawlinson, Domaine Alfred
Sid Sall, Wine Director, Great Chefs of Marin
Christopher Sawyer, National Wine Writer, Wine Radius, Sommelier: Carneros Bistro at the Lodge at Sonoma
Edgar Vogt, Wine Educator, Wineworks
Walter Vornbrock III, Wine Consultant
Liza Zimmerman, Wine Writer & Educator
         
The wines worthy of note are reviewed here. They each get a numerical score and are recommended "from the heart with the additional reference of 's designating the following:

Key:

= Love at First Sip
= An Affair to Remember
= Will Provide Fond Memories

At the completion of our finals, thirty-nine top rated wines participated in the Pinot Noir Summit on March 2, 2008. 258 lucky Pinot Noir Lovers gathered at Fort Mason in San Francisco to participate in a blind tasting of award winning Pinot Noirs, attend Pinot Noir workshops and meet the winemaker's. The delegates to the Pinot Noir Summit, seduced by Pinot Noir, indulged their passion.

They tasted thirty-nine luscious Pinot Noirs in The Final Showdown of this year's Pinot Noir Shootout. The wines were tasted totally blind and were assigned random colors for identification purposes. The wines could be tasted in any order to avoid any undue advantage to a particular wine or group of wines. The delegates pitted their palates against the expert panel's findings. The top three choices by gender as chosen by the delegates and the panel are noted below.

Please note that all of these wines are winners. All received
and cumulative scores of 90 or above by our judging panel.

Top wines as announced on March 2, 2008

Shootout Panel - Men:   
First Place     
Adobe Road 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ~ Lilac
Second Place - Just a heart beat behind first place
Heart O' The Mountain 2005 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains ~ Bronze
Third Place    
Laetitia Vineyard & Winery 2006 Laetitia Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley ~ Beige

Shootout Panel - Women: 
First Place     
David Bruce 2005 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains ~ Orange
Second Place
TR Elliott 2005 Three Plumes Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ~ Orchid
Third Place
Ardiri 2006 Pinot Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley ~ Gold

Summit Delegates - Men: 
First Place     
Adobe Road 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ~ Lilac
Second Place
Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2004 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ~ Blue
Third Place
Bianchi 2005 Garey Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley ~ Dark Green

Summit Delegates - Women:       
First Place
Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2004 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ~ Blue
Second Place
Gryphon 2005 Pinot Noir, California ~ Brown
Third Place
Bianchi 2005 Garey Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley ~ Dark Green

The results of the delegates were compiled and verified by four volunteers from the Bay Area Wine Enthusiasts Guild.

The colors were assigned randomly.  Coming up with 40 different colors is not easy.  If you have some additional suggestions for future Summits on colors or other aspects, we welcome your input.

Click here for the complete results of the 6th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout.

At the Pinot Noir Summit the thirty-nine wines were tasted blind and rated by the Summit attendees. The Wine Lovers who attended The Pinot Noir Summit voted for their top three wines in order of preference after tasting them blind. The wines were wrapped individually and identified by a random color. The male and female votes were tallied separately.

The Pinot Noir delegates agreed with the panel…the wines tasted were fantastic! The Summit delegates however, did not rank the wines in the same order.

The Male Pinot Noir Lovers top choice at The Pinot Summit on March 2, 2008 was Adobe Road 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast.

The Female Pinot Noir Lovers top choice at The Pinot Summit on March 2, 2008 was Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2004 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast.

The Male Wine Lovers first choice was the same as the Male Judges’ panel.  The Female Wine Lovers and Female Judges did not select the same wine as their first choice.  What does that prove? Who's right? Who wins? Everybody!

For your review check out the wines tasted with ratings and observations by both male and female judges

My personal observation is that the top rated wines from the panels and the delegates were more balanced and elegant than in previous Pinot Noir Shootouts. It seems as if the style of Pinot Noir that wine lovers are embracing is more like traditional Pinot Noir and less like the burly, Syrah-like styles that have been popular over the last few years.

It is especially interesting to note that the women delegates at The Pinot Noir Summit leaned toward the Pinots that were viewed as silky and elegant wines by the female judges.  Pinot Noirs that displayed finesse over structure.

We tasted Pinot Noirs from 54 different appellations including Adelaide Hills, Anderson Valley, Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Carneros, Central Coast, Chalone, Curico Valley, Edna Valley, Finger Lakes, France, High Valley, Hudson Valley, Humboldt County, Lake Michigan Shore, Marlborough, McMinnville, Mendocino County, Monterey County, Napa Valley, North Fork of Long Island, Paso Robles, Pavia, Italy, Pennsylvania, Rheinpfalz, Russian River Valley; San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Cruz Mountains; Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills, Seneca Lake, Snake River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Tasmania, Trinity County, Umpqua Valley, Venezia, Willamette Valley and the Yarra Valley. The wines submitted range in price from $5.99 to $100.00 per bottle.

So what do these wines have in common? Everyone one of these wines is outstanding!

Taste and enjoy them all if you're fortunate enough to have the opportunity. Keep buying your old favorites but try new ones too. When you find a style you like, try other wines that are similar. Do you like this wine as much? See if you can determine the similarities in the wines you like best. Is it appellation? Winemaking style? Winemaker?

Hopefully, you have a retailer or sommelier that can help to guide you. Let your wine guide know the Pinots you have enjoyed and the ones that have been less to your liking. A good retailer or sommelier can help you make appropriate selections for your palate.

Begin an Affair with these great wines tonight!

If you have difficulty finding them at your local retailer, feel free to email Affairs of the Vine. We will be happy to put you in touch with someone at the winery who can help you acquire the wines that entice you.

Our Mantra...Trust Your Own Palate
Read reviews but remember it's your palate that counts. Try to find a wine critic who commends wines that you like. Don't feel that you have to like the wines that wine critics praise. Don't be intimidated! If a movie reviewer gives 5 stars to a film, do you feel that you're unsophisticated if you don't like it too? Wine is no different. Personal preference is what counts. So drink and enjoy what you like. At Affairs of the Vine we say, "If you like the way it looks and you like the way it smells and you like the way it tastes...its good wine. So use our recommendations as a guide but you are the authority of what provides "Love at First Sip" for you.

If you see anything in these results which you think is of interest or noteworthy, we would love to hear from you and we will put as many comments up on our website as possible. And remember, trust your own palate. It's the only one that matters.

Check out the "Bang for Your Buck Pinot Noirs". Wines which were awarded or  hearts and selling for under $20.

Save the Date for our 7th Annual Pinot Noir Summit:
February 28, 2009 in San Francisco
Plan on joining us. 
Only 250 lucky Pinot Lovers may attend the Summit.
Registration for the 7th Annual Summit will be available soon.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. 

More about Pinot Noir:

Pinot Noir is Meant for Lovers

A Princely Look at Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir Characteristics