No Ordinary Old Boring Pinot Noir: This $35 Wine Find Will Put You in a California State of Mind

It was an early harvest it was, 2014 in Carneros:

 … starting with an incredibly early bud break and quickly progressing through bloom. Gorgeous weather allowed for perfect ripening and flavor development. An exceptional vintage!

Those are the words used to describe the harvest of the Pinot Noir at Bouchaine, as written by the folks at the winery, and I have to agree with them about their 2014 Estate Pinot Noir. It is a very good wine.

I sampled a bottle a few days ago, and I was impressed with the vintage. (I blind-tasted a friend, one who is extremely prejudiced toward Oregon Pinot Noir, and he loved the Bouchaine. “The balance is wholly satisfying,” he said during our meal.)

We opened the bottle (at around 57 Fahrenheit) and poured immediately. On the nose: subtle spice, cinnamon, allspice. I mean subtle. Close your eyes and you’ll be moved by the beauty of this one. The fruit is evident as well… there’s no mistaking that this is a Pinot Noir, and I mean that in a good way.

A first taste brings forth some berry notes — ripe cherry most dominant — then a deepening to those spices, then a quick return of berry, strawberry (and there’s even a hint of wild mushroom). Soft tannins, good acidity… my friend was right about the balance.

We paired the Bouchaine with duck breast… no sauce other than a touch of butter and salt and pepper. Four days on, I can still taste this combination. The wine and the duck were delightful together. The crispy/slightly fattiness of the fowl’s skin jumped when it mingled with the wine. If you like duck breast, get a bottle and see what you think.

The grapes were harvested at night, then cold-soaked for five to seven days, and both open and closed fermentation were used. Malolactic fermentation occurred in the barrel (20 percent new French and Hungarian oak). Blocks were kept separate, then the winemaker selected the best and racked them together. It was bottled from July 27, 2015 through July 31, 2015. Alcohol is 14.1 percent, and 7,238 cases were made.

This one retails for $35 from the winery, and ask for it at your local wine store, including Total Wine, Spec’s, and Houston Wine Merchant.

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