Clarksburg, Central Valley, California, USA
Richard Bruno has again crafted a Pinot upon which even non-Pinot oenophiles, such as myself, may yet shower with praise. It has a lot of dark and inky body, which makes one wonder; in California, a wine can be labeled as varietal if it is at least 75% from that grape. It therefore begs the question for Mr. Bruno: what other grapes are in this blend? While it has the acidity of a typical PN, making it a great accompaniment to fish or Chinese food, it has a very solid tannic structure, as well as a much darker tint to the color than is normally seen in a typical dark pink PN. Mayhap some inky Bordeaux grape, such as Cabernet, Merlot, or even some Petit Verdot has entertainingly corrupted the PN Purists’ concept of a PN? This PN lacks the disgusting cigar flavor of the “pure” version, and presents dark cassis and dried currant fruit, with a chewy licorice tannic structure, and a unique gravelly mouthfeel to the finish. I love it when I find a beautiful PN that is certain to annoy the cognoscenti! Cheers and L’Chaim to all those who rebel against the status quo in any regional varietal!
Richard Bruno has again crafted a Pinot upon which even non-Pinot oenophiles, such as myself, may yet shower with praise. It has a lot of dark and inky body, which makes one wonder; in California, a wine can be labeled as varietal if it is at least 75% from that grape. It therefore begs the question for Mr. Bruno: what other grapes are in this blend? While it has the acidity of a typical PN, making it a great accompaniment to fish or Chinese food, it has a very solid tannic structure, as well as a much darker tint to the color than is normally seen in a typical dark pink PN. Mayhap some inky Bordeaux grape, such as Cabernet, Merlot, or even some Petit Verdot has entertainingly corrupted the PN Purists’ concept of a PN? This PN lacks the disgusting cigar flavor of the “pure” version, and presents dark cassis and dried currant fruit, with a chewy licorice tannic structure, and a unique gravelly mouthfeel to the finish. I love it when I find a beautiful PN that is certain to annoy the cognoscenti! Cheers and L’Chaim to all those who rebel against the status quo in any regional varietal!
Nov 30th, 2019
