Wine Review: Pinot Noir from the Americas

Living in Chile, Chilean Pinot Noir is one of my go-to bargain wines, but I’m always open to tasting other contenders for best value Pinot and to comparing Chilean Pinot Noir to other regions. 

Therefore, in a Pinot tasting with friends in California, I decided to make the theme: Pinot Noir from the Americas (North and South). Some of them are definitely not in the bargain price range, but I’m not going to complain. Most are $50 or under though, which is entry-level Pinot in some regions. Anyway, I’m going to focus more on the stylistic and terroir differences between each region rather than which is the best overall. 

Tasting Notes

2014 Riverbench Reserve Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley

This comes from the Santa Barbara wine region, made famous by the film Sideways. Like in Chile, the way the mountains and the cool Pacific air align allows it to make quality cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir. Santa Maria is the northernmost and oldest AVA within Santa Barbara County. I bought it at their property a few years ago for about $50. 

As the name implies, the soils are alluvial with a mixture of gravel, clay, sand and silt. 11 months in French oak (60% new). 350 cases made. 100% free-run (unpressed) juice. The last bit is allowed to slowly drizzle out in a more concentrated form. This is on the darker side but still red fruit driven with good acidity and it had the most minerality of all the Pinots today. 91

2017 Chacra Cincuenta y Cinco Rio Negro Patagonia Pinot Noir

This is from the grandson of the founder of Tuscan legend Sassicaia. This is the perfect wine to try if you think Argentina is only about Malbec from Mendoza or if you’ve never had wine from Patagonia. Although it can reach freezing temperatures in the winter, it’s still rather dry overall and warm during the days to grow Pinot. It sells for around $40-50. 

As you can tell from the name, the vineyard was planted in 1955. Alluvial, riverbed pebbly soils. Organic and biodynamic. Indigenous yeasts. Whole cluster fermentation. Mixture of concrete vat and used French oak aging. Unfiltered. Less than 2,000 cases made.  

This was probably the lowest alcohol of all the Pinots in the tasting, and it was in the style of the other lighter, red fruited, fresh and floral Pinots. However, there was a step up in the intensity on the nose and palate with more tannic structure. Also some minerality. 92+

2016 Dr. Konstantin Frank Pinot Noir “Old Vines” Finger Lakes, New York

Dr. Konstantin Frank is the godfather of wine in the Finger Lakes. He proved European wines could be made in a cold climate. He started by making Riesling, but the winery has expanded to producing Sparklings, Rosés, various whites (Chardonnay, Gewurtz, Muscat, and others), and various reds (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Saperavi, Blaufrankisch and others). Another interesting fact is that studies have shown that Pinot Noir grown in the Finger Lakes has more antioxidants than other Pinot because it has adapted to surviving cold temperatures. This Pinot Noir retails for $20. 

The oldest vines were planted in 1958. Aged 18 months in used French oak. This is the lightest of all the Pinots in the tasting. Perhaps it’s the most acidic too, but otherwise it’s a nice fresh Pinot that I’d prefer to many of the big Syrah-styled Pinots you can find in California. Not the most complex, but definitely Pinot. Not too different than German Pinots I’ve had; just like NY is able to make quality Riesling with a similar climate to Germany.  90

2014 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Kosta Browne is one of the top Pinot producers in the state with a cult-following. They make Pinot from different sites all over the state. Sonoma has extremely diverse microclimates allowing Pinot to prosper in some areas and Zin or Cab in others. Like Santa Barbara, pockets of Sonoma allow for the wind and fog from the ocean to make it cool enough for elegant Pinot.This particular wine sells for $100+. 

55% New French Oak. This fits more in the slightly darker and riper style like the Santa Maria Valley and Russian River Valley wines we drank but unlike the Wrath one, it still has nice underlying acidity and the weightless feeling you get with Pinot. It brings the intensity and ripe fruit while keeping Pinot’s elegance. It’s also really floral with more time. It’s the sexiest of the all the Pinots in the tasting. 93 

2017 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Cuvee X Willamette Valley

This is an early selection blend of some of their Pinot barrels (mostly 2nd use oak) to capture vintage and have less influence from the oak. Retails at around $25.

Probably the most middle of the road Pinot in the tasting. Easy to drink. Not as much earthy complexity you might get in some Oregon Pinots but it’s more restrained than California Pinots like most Oregon Pinots. Darker than some of the others in the tasting but still more on the red fruit side with good acidity. Floral notes. 90

2019 Leyda Pinot Noir Reserva Leyda Valley

I talked about this producer in my best bargain Chilean wines post. Their standard Reserva Pinot is made from estate fruit but multiple vineyards called “El Maiten” and “El Granito.” It sells for less than $20 most places, but less than $10 in most places in Chile.

This is rather typical in style with other Leyda Pinot, but less complex than their single vineyards. Well balanced with acidity and savoriness in a light easy package. Perhaps this is a little fruitier than previous bottles of Leyda I’ve had. 90

2018 Wrath Pommard 4/777 Pinot Noir Monterey

This one stood out as the most ripe, dark fruited and least acidic. The nose was Pinot, but the palate was fruity and dark rather than red-fruited with higher acid. It still has a soft feel to it, so it’s not overdone with alcohol or tannins. It’s just sweeter, fruitier and low in acid. 88

2014 Scherrer Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Sonoma

A last minute entry into our tasting. This is a fairly small producer. Dehlinger Winery helped Scherrer get on its feet, and now they make around 4,000-5,000 cases.

This had a similar flavor profile to the lighter Pinots with floral notes, red fruit and light feel but it has the most alcohol and a rounded oilier feel. 91

Conclusion

I was surprised the Monterey wine had the least acidity and darkest fruit given the cooler climate there, but there are lots of sub-zones of Monterey county, and as I’m writing this I see on their website that they used 24% whole cluster fermentation which can explain some of the extra fruitiness, but lots of Burgundy also use whole cluster.

The Chilean, Argentinian, Oregon and NY Pinots all were on the red fruit, floral and elegant styles of Pinots while the four California Pinots were darker and riper. Still, the two Sonoma wines and Santa Maria kept good freshness and elegance while being fuller while the Monterey one was a bit flabby for me. It’s more for new Pinot drinkers who prefer California Merlot. 

The Chacra was going strong even by the third day. The tannins were still noticeable. It has the best chance to improve and age of all the wines.