Waiting for Pinot
BY PHILIP DAWDY
pdawdy@wweek.com

Pinot noir is strange fruit. Its nickname is the "heartbreak grape," because it's a bitch to grow but has the ability to produce wines that are simultaneously rich and concentrated and delicate and elegant. But sometimes, the results are absolute swill.

Either way, a half-decent bottle of this ruby-and-ink-colored wine will set you back $15. Excellent bottles can easily go for $70. At times, pinot lovers can feel like they're mortgaging their futures.

So why not stick with nice, predictable merlot at a nice, predictable $12? Because pinot can be the world's best-tasting wine. Those grown in Burgundy can reach a perfection not even poets can describe; Oregon pinots can hold their own with the French.

Knowing that, tread carefully in your local supermarket: There are a lot of sketchy pinot noirs wearing $15 price tags.

Leaving the matter to luck isn't going to cut it. If you've ever had even a mediocre pinot noir, you've lived through a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare.

For the past couple of months, I've poked through supermarket and wine store shelves to find the good, the bad and the fugly of Oregon pinot noir. I've had very good luck with pinot that's been private-labeled for wine stores by some of Oregon's best vintners.

For example, the Bedford Falls 1999 Pinot Noir ($15) is made by Witness Tree and is a good introduction to pinot. The Deux Monks 1999 Pinot Noir ($15) is an advanced course. Vinted by Torii Mor, which makes some of the best Oregon pinots, this wine is already lush and complex--and it's a steal at this price. Both are available at Portland Wine Merchants, 1430 SE 35th Ave.; check with other wine stores for any private-labeled pinot they have.

Portland snobs who believe nothing good can come out of Hillsboro are proven wrong by the Beran 1998 Pinot Noir ($27). Like most worthy Oregon wine, it's pricey, but its lingering complex, sweet/dry taste makes certain sacrifices seem like economic good sense.

The Torii Mor 1999 Pinot Noir ($20) will teach you everything you need to know about pinot. If you don't have an epiphany after drinking this, you might as well just stick to the sale bin at Trader Joe's.

Though many 1998s were great, the Amity Vineyards '98 ($14) is a pleasant wine but lacks the dryness and complexity that makes a good pinot.

Old-line winery Erath Vineyards produced a very disappointing 1998 pinot. But its 1999 ($13) is dry with a slight aftertaste and an excellent value for those of you probing the lower end of the noir realm.

Like film noir, this wine can lead to certain obsessions. You probably won't end up sporting Belmondo's shades, but once you're hooked on pinot, even heavier varietals like cabernet sauvignon will no longer offer a one-way ticket to the heart of darkness.