Deep Red Cellar

My husband brought me a couple bottles of Pinot Noir back from a recent trip he took to Vancouver, British Columbia.  And if you’re thinking it, you’re right…..he is a good man.

I have to say, I’ve not heard much hype about Pinot Noirs from Canada (or any for that matter) but was hopeful as I’ve tasted a few good wines from our northern friends and a spectacular Merlot not so long ago.

I opened the first of two bottles – a screw cap which I love.  I think all wineries should switch to this method. Of course, that would eliminate any reason to pull out the snappy wine openers we love to use (my favorite is a “Laguiole” corkscrew made of olive wood). The wine, 2008 Road 13 Pinot Noir, and I couldn’t wait to try it.  I was intrigued by the description on the bottle.  It said “This light colored, light bodied wine has a silky texture and pleasing complexity…Pinot Noir, not Merlot under a Pinot Noir label.”

I definitely noticed the beautiful pale, red color but the aroma was unspectacular and the taste about the same.  I did not taste any of the complexity the description referred to but that could be because it needed more time in the bottle.  While looking for words to describe it, I came up empty  - it was uninspiring, flat and unpleasing.  The first time I drank it, I woke up with a headache – something that really doesn’t happen to me when I drink wine.  I wrote it off as a coincidence but the second night, I poured a glass with dinner and woke up with yet another headache.  I ended up tossing the rest of the bottle which is a rare event in my world.

I am not going to say the good folks of Road 13 do not make good wine.  Maybe they do but this particular tasting has made me a little more skeptical about that second bottle of Canadian Pinot Noir sitting in my wine cellar.