theCompass
 Home   Map   Blog Roll   WineCompass   Wine 101   My Compass 

Chalone Pinot Noir, Brosseau Vineyards

Chalone Pinot Noir, Brosseau Vineyards Wine Details
Price: $50.00 per bottle

Description: This wine opens a new front on the California Pinot Noir evolution. The Brosseau was vinified solely from the first vintage of a new Pinot Noir clone, the Colmar 538. With the focus of this singular clone, one can clearly taste the high chaparral of Chalone. The dense aromatics of incense, brown sugar, toast, tar and dusty herbs are unique to this vineyard. Perfectly ripe, balanced fruit with deep, rich flavors support supple tannins and the chalky mineral undertones which the wines of the Brosseau Vineyard are noted for. Masculine and exceeding complex in structure, this powerful wine has ripe black cherry at the core with herbal layers of green tea, bramble, and fennel. Also present are flavors of cinnamon, thyme and caramel. While exciting to drink now, this wine is so packed with complex elements, it promises to be even more exceptional in a few years time.

Varietal Definition
Pinot Noir:
The name is derived from the French words for ‘pine’ and ‘black’ alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot Noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine. By volume most Pinot Noir in America is grown in California with Oregon coming in second. Other regions are Washington State and New York.During 2004 and the beginning of 2005, Pinot Noir became considerably more popular amongst consumers in the United States, possibly because of the movie Sideways. Being lighter in style, it has benefited from a trend toward more restrained, less alcoholic wines. It is the delicate, subtle, complex and elegant nature of this wine that encourages growers and winemakers to cultivate this difficult grape. Robert Parker has described Pinot Noir: "When it's great, Pinot Noir produces the most complex, hedonistic, and remarkably thrilling red wine in the world."


Reviews




Back to Harrington Wines information