Pinot Noir – two words you’ve been hearing a lot, lately. The delicate grape has enjoyed some serious attention recently, and with the likes of Ard Matthews spouting these sorts of statements wherever he goes, we’re hardly surprised: “I’m convinced that Pinot Noir is one part heat-sensitive grape and 99 parts angel blood. It is the perfect blend between rosé and red, which means it can and must be drunk as often as possible, where possible, if possible.”
I have been thinking quite a lot about Pinot Noir lately after having written an article on the grape for a local magazine. I feel that I can usefully reconstitute some of those points here in slightly stronger language.
I recently attended a vertical tasting of Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noirs, with a couple international examples thrown in. It got me thinking about Pinot Noir, and then about language, and then whether it is just better to get drunk. I decided it actually is better to think, so here are my thoughts.
This week I’ll be pairing some wines to three albums that have been occupying my earballs lately. It’s a tad facile. But then it has been shown that music can affect the way we taste wine. Drink, listen, be told a story.