North American Pinot Noir

From Publishers Weekly
Pinot noir is the moodiest of grapes: at its best, it can be velvety and complex, a good pairing for both seafood and red meat; but its temper can change quickly, as the wine is fragile and unstable. As Haeger explains in this comprehensive guide to the wine, "pinot can show beautifully from barrel and then suffer an acute case of bottle shock. It can taste ethereal one day, but then close down to a shadow of its former self." No wonder, then, that it’s taken American producers so long to master pinot’s personality and develop wines that rival France’s burgundies. But they have. Though Haeger’s discussion of terroirs and his instructive essays ("The Rise of Pinot Noir in North America," "Winegrowing and Winemaking," etc.) may appeal only to serious oenophiles, the good news he shares is for everyone: "the food-friendliest wine on earth" now has scores of excellent American producers. Heager profiles 72 of them in this volume, many of them smaller vineyards that casual wine drinkers may not yet have heard of. Thus Heager succeeds in giving wine lovers a deeper and broader appreciation of the grape than any top-ten, five-star list could deliver.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Pinot noir, the famously elegant, sexy, and capricious red grape of Burgundy, is finally producing impressive wines in North America. Credit talented winemakers, enthusiastic restaurateurs, and consumers in search of alternatives to cabernet and zinfandel. Considered perhaps the ultimate food wine, pinot noir has an allure based on its special combination of aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel; on its legendary capacity to reflect the terroir where it is grown; and on its reputation for being hard to grow and make. This is the definitive work on pinot noir in North America. A comprehensive reference for winemakers and aficionados as well as a sourcebook for casual enthusiasts, it includes extensive historical and viticultural background on pinot noir in the New World and profiles of six dozen prominent producers in California, Oregon, British Columbia, and New York. John Winthrop Haeger, known for his perceptive wine writing for more than fifteen years, gives contextual and comparative information about pinot noir in Burgundy and then tells the story of wine producers' early failures, frustrations, and breakthroughs in North America. He discusses plant genetics and clones, identifies the essential conditions for really good pinot, tells where the best wines are grown and made, and analyzes the factors that determine wine styles and signatures. In the second part of the book, he presents detailed producer profiles with accessibly written tasting notes on recent and mature vintages. A final section covers glassware, vintages, wine and food pairings, and other matters of interest to consumers. Maps prepared especially for this book cover all the major pinot-producing regions in North America. Illustrations: 11 full-color maps


From the Back Cover
"Finally, a book to demystify pinot and explain how American craftsman winemakers turn out wines made from Burgundy's legendary grape. Pinot noir pairs exceptionally well with a wide variety of foods, making it one of my personal favorites--and the ideal choice when dining out."-Bradley Ogden, author, chef, and co-owner, Lark Creek Restaurant Group "An impressive work, scholarly and masterful. Haeger's book paints a thorough portrait of pinot noir in America today-what's happening, where, and with whom. Wine lovers will gain a broader understanding and appreciation of pinot noir wines; aficionados of pinot noir will find the book a bible to feed their passion."-Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, coauthor of Wine for Dummies and President of the International Wine Center "Haeger combines the skills of a reporter with those of a poet in this definitive study of one of the world's great wine grapes as it is grown and vinified in North America-combining solid research and illuminating interviews with vivid descriptions of that most important thing: what the wine actually tastes and smells like."-Colman Andrews, Editor in Chief, Saveur "John Haeger has written an engaging, thought-provoking book that every pinot noir lover will find fascinating."-Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible


About the Author
John Winthrop Haeger is a former columnist for Wine & Spirits magazine who has also written for Sunset, Saveur, Los Angeles, and Connoisseur. He taught Chinese language and Chinese history at the Claremont Colleges and is the author of Crisis and Prosperity in Sung China (1975).


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Hoping to re-create the legendary wines of Burgundy, France, vintners around the world have long tried to grow the finicky pinot noir grape. Until now, they have had little success. Pioneers in California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada have turned the tide by planting grapes in areas with ideal microclimates and experimenting with growing and winemaking methods. In his comprehensive work, former Wine & Spirits columnist Haeger documents the people, procedures, competitions, failures, events, and future trends that characterize this development. While many readers will appreciate the academic research and detail that make up the first half, wine connoisseurs will delight in Hager's descriptive tasting notes for dozens of selected pinot noir producers. A small section on buying, storing, and pairing pinot noir with food is also included. Libraries that passed on William Echikson's recent Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution because of its French focus should definitely consider this book. An essential purchase for special collections.--Andrea R. Dietze, Orange Cty. P.L., Santa Ana, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.


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