(4) Wines made from Pinot Noir

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: bold
• Look for at: wine.com

Of the three Pinots that Sea Smoke makes, I have always preferred Ten. The 2006 has a great nose of cherries and blackberries, with notes of toasted oak. This is a full bodied wine with lots of muscular fruit on top of silky tannins with a little dust thrown in. I think the 2006 Ten is a great cocktail and contemplation wine, if you have the money. ($75)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: bold
• Look for at: wine.com

Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, California, Sea Smoke Vineyards specializes in making monster Pinot Noirs. By using ripe grapes, cold water soaks, extended maceration — the whole nine yards so to speak — they typically succeed. I have enjoyed Sea Smoke Southing in the past, and the 2006 is not bad wine… it is just not great. With a nose of spicy ripe fruit (not over ripe) and sage, the wine promises a little more than it delivers. In the mouth, the wine shows red and black berries and dusty tannins, but it lacks some of the body necessary to carry its 14+% alcohol. I still keep an eye out for Sea Smoke wines, but their price to value ratio is getting rather large. ($60)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: earthy
• Look for at: wine.com

This Chilean wine was decent, though a bit over-priced for what was in the bottle. An earthy Pinot Noir, there were notes of earth, barnyard, cedar, and a bit of red fruit. With light-medium body, light tannins, and food-friendly acid, this wine would pair well with chicken. However, for what you get, I’d pass it over for something a little cheaper. ($13)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: fruity and earthy
• Look for at: wine.com

Our first fruity and earthy wine, you can tell this wine from the south of France was made for the American market, because it lists the varietal on the label. You can also tell by the taste profile. This Pinot is about as fruit-forward as a French winemaker can go. The unripe red fruit struggle against a little eggplant in the nose, but this passes with a little air time. Unripe red fruit, supported by soft tannins, give the ’06 a nice and drinkable character. The wine has plenty of acid to pair with red meat or pork. ($11-13)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sparkling
• Look for at: wine.com

I picked up this wine at K&L Liquors in San Francisco, where it is a staff selection, and I can see why. We tried the Ariston along side a special cuvee from Bollinger. The Bollinger managed to surpass the Ariston by a nose, but at half the price, I would recommend you get two bottles of the Ariston. In the glass, the Ariston is fresh and crisp with a medium-fine mousse and a touch of chocolate on the end. This is a great aperitif, and it also goes very nicely with a summer’s afternoon in Golden Gate Park. ($27)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: earthy
• Look for at: wine.com

This modestly priced Burgundy Pinot Noir has a nice color of dark garnet. With red fruit and earthy notes in the nose, it follows through in the mouth with plenty of food-loving acid and relatively soft tannins (for a Burgundy). Pretty good alone, but I imagine this wine would really shine with roast chicken or a good winter dish. ($18-20)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: earthy
• Look for at: wine.com

Domain Albert Grivault is one of three producers in Clos Blanc. The 10.3 acre premier vineyard is the southernmost of the premier cru vineyards in Pommard. I have had the ’02 in the cellar since I got it at release, and this is the first taste that I have had of it. The nose is classic Pommard — barnyard, forest floor, and bit of red fruit. For sure, the wine still has lots of fine tannin, but it is balanced, approachable, and a great drink. I wish I had lots more bottles of this vintage from Grivault just to see how far this wine will go. ($?, $50 @ release)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: sleek
• Look for at: wine.com

This estate grown rosé is full of strawberry and cranberry in the nose. It follows with a mouth full of red berries and a long finish. This rosé is rounder and a bit lower in acid than the French rosés, but it has lots of body with an elegant mouth feel. If you can find this, give it a try, because it is an excellent summer drink. ($20-23)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: fruity
• Look for at: wine.com

We tried this wine at a local restaurant, and I am glad we did. This is a good example of a fruity Californian Pinot Noir! The nose is full of spicy oak and red fruit. The wine is as fruity in the mouth as it is enjoyable. I think this wine would turn a Sunday afternoon lunch into a memorable meal. ($19-22)

• Our rating:
• Wine 101 style: fruity
• Look for at: wine.com

There is nothing the least bit subtle about this wine. Right from the start, the wine comes out of the glass to meet you. On the nose, the loads of rich, ripe fruit (with a touch of oak) can almost be overwhelming. In the mouth, you will discover what folks mean when they say a wine is “fruit forward”: lots of ripe berries and plums with some balancing acid. This might be a difficult wine to pair with food, but don’t let that keep you from trying this one. ($38-42)