Tasting- Substance Pinot Noir

Name: Substance Pinot Noir

Variety: Pinot Noir 

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington

Country: United States

Year: 2021

Price: $16.99

Winery Review

"Fairy dust minerality lifts from the glass, cloaked in wild strawberry, hibiscus, and oyster mushroom, as a lavish palate of rose petal, red cherry, orange zest, and potting soil set this elegant table. Fresh, expansive, and long- pure Pinot magic!"

 

- Charles Smith

Wine Folly

When reading the book, I initially agree with how versatile and gentle pinot noir can be: "A versatile red wine for food pairing given the higher acidity and lower tannin. Pinot Noir tastes like it was meant for duck, chicken, pork, and mushrooms" (page 150). I think that description perfectly describes the overall experience I had with this bottle. The lack of acidity and tannins in the grape allows for this bottle to be gentle, sweet, and light on the palate. 

My Review

I enjoyed this wine. I think it was a little expensive for what it was, but I cannot say that I did not enjoy drinking this bottle. We paired this with steamed white rice, sauteed mushrooms and onions, grilled avocado, and grilled chicken. Although I would have paired chicken with a white wine, pinot noir- especially after reading the book- was still an appropriate choice for our dinner. Especially with the mushrooms. I found the hidden umami flavor of the mushroom to be accentuated with the wine pairing. 

The wine was surprisingly sweeter than I thought it would be. In fact, that sweetness- stemming from the floral and strawberry notes- is present throughout the whole finish. Likewise, I found the wine's body and finish to be subtle and gentle, but not in a bad way. Although it's presence is quieter than other reds, I still found the overall flavor profile to be fairly complex. While being sweet, it also had the faintest hint of an earthy, umami flavor that balanced the lighter, fruity flavors that were present.