WF Archives, May 2005: The "Sideways" Effect

Note: There was no April article written by this author.


With the recent success of the movie “Sideways,” popularity of Pinot Noir wines have skyrocketed throughout the US. AC Nielsen data cite that national sales of Pinot Noir, a wine heavily rhapsodized by oenophile character Miles, increased 15% compared to the same period from a year ago. March 21st edition of Crain’s New York Business reported that locally, Astor Wines and Spirits responded to 30% boost in sales by creating a Pinot Noir display. Interestingly, Crain’s also noted that Morrell Wine Bar and Café saw a dramatic falloff in the sales of Merlot, a wine famously decried by Miles in a manner not quite suitable for print.

As a wine consultant, I have a first-hand experience witnessing this trend, from being asked the obligatory question, “have you seen Sideways?” to having customers gleefully volunteer to quote that infamous line concerning Merlots. These icebreakers typically lead to the ultimate question: “I don’t know much about Pinot Noir. Can you recommend a good one?” To keep up with this demand, my recent research efforts included viewing of “Sideways” and focusing my tasting notes on California Central Coast Pinot Noirs.

I typically start with a brief explanation that Pinot grapes are the same grapes used for making red Burgundy wines of France, where wines are named after the region rather than grape varietals. Pinot grapes are also one of the three major grapes used in the production of Blanc de Noir Champagnes, which maintain its light yellow hue by rarely involving the skin of the grape during fermentation. A thin skin of the Pinot grape dictates that they thrive in cooler climates, and the best domestic locations for growing these grapes are in California, New York, and Oregon, which incidentally share the same latitude as Burgundy region. International regions of note include France, New Zealand, and South Africa

After that debriefing, the next line of dialogue usually centers on ideal food to pair with the wine. One of the outstanding features of Pinot Noir is its versatility to pair with almost any food. If I were asked to select a bottle of wine on behalf of a table where everyone ordered different style of dishes, Pinot Noir would be the first wine I would look to accommodate the majority, along with Champagnes.

Generally speaking, Pinot Noir wines are low in tannins and high in acidity, making it a rare red wine that can pair well with richer seafood and shellfish, such as salmon steaks, mahi mahi, grilled lobsters, and calamari. Although the tannin/acidity profile clearly indicate that Pinot Noirs are ideal match with white and lighter meats (chicken, pork, and veal), their mouthwatering acidity allows the wine to hold up to beef and game, despite low tannins. Versatility of Pinot Noirs becomes further evident with cheese pairing, where they can complement soft cheeses (brie, gorgonzola, camembert) just as adeptly as hard cheeses (grana padano, parmesan).

At this stage, if I have not already bored the customers to death, they would ask for my recommendation. Rather than tell them what I like, fully aware that my palate may not be the same as everyone else’s, I typically highlight several different styled bottles to allow customer to choose for themselves.

With “Sideways” being the underlying theme, the first wine I introduce is the one Miles quaffed while educating Jack on the process of wine tasting: 2001 Sanford Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. Ruby colored Sanford is a fruit- driven Pinot Noir that features raspberry and spices on the nose, and raspberry, cherry, and cranberry on the palate. It is a vibrant yet well-balanced wine with slight hints of black peppers on the finish. For about $14 a bottle at Astor, I find it to be a tremendous value performer and certainly worthy of being featured in the movie.

Another affordable Pinot Noir featured in “Sideways” is the 2002 Central Coast Pinot Noir from Calera Winery, where Stephanie worked as a pourer. Like Sanford, Calera is fruit-forward, featuring strawberries and raspberries on the nose. As indicated by its light ruby color, this wine features light cherry and strawberry flavors that are well presented in a package of light tannins and body.

On the other side of the spectrum is the 2003 David Bruce Central Coast Pinot Noir, a big oak-driven wine with very distinct aroma of dark cherries and butter. In contrast with the previous light- styled Pinots, David Bruce is dark ruby in appearance. The flavor features combination of cherries and strawberries, and the presence of tannins provide a soft finish to this complex wine.

The last style of Pinot Noir is the very 2001 Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir from Carneros. It is ruby in color, and has hints of blackcurrants and white peppers on the nose with dark cherry flavor. Its texture is smooth, with velvety tannins providing sense of regal elegance to the wine. This is the most expensive wine out of the four, at $33 per bottle.

I am not sure if the “Sideways” phenomenon is merely a trendy fad, giving Pinot Noirs their “15 minutes of fame.” What I do know is that Pinot Noir is a pretty diverse wine in itself, while being an excellent accompaniment to myriad of dining options. There are many fine Pinot Noirs grown throughout the world, even in the $15~$20 range. For further exploration at that price range, I would strongly recommend Argyle and Benton Lane from Oregon, as well as Piper Brook “Ninth Island” Pinot Noir from Tasmania. And if you happen to be reading this in the City House, try Anapamu by the glass for $6.