ft. Sharecropper’s and Cloudveil, both 2018 Pinot Noirs
The first red wine I ever truly loved was a pinot noir. I was still a vegetarian at the time and out to eat with my then-boyfriend’s family for his birthday. We were at a steakhouse. I ordered the veggie flatbread with a Riesling. He ordered a ribeye and a glass of pinot noir. Well by the end of the evening I was no longer a vegetarian AND I loved pinot noir. To be fair, that flatbread really set me up for failure. But I digress.
Pinot noir! One of the hardest grapes to grow, but when done right, pinot noir grapes create lighter-bodied wines that are elegant and complex – and drinkable on a Thursday night. When I’m pinot shopping, I usually gravitated to pinot noirs from Oregon. Maybe it’s because I’m in love with the idea of moving to the PNW, but also because that region of the US produces some great wine. Instead of reaching for my standard picks, I snagged two new-to-me bottles: Owen Rowe Sharecropper’s 2018 and Cloudveil Vineyards 2018. Both were on sale at Whole Foods for $15.
First up, the Sharecropper. In 2001, Owen Roe partnered with local famers and reinstated the practice of sharecropping. They take grapes from small farms across Oregon and Washington, use them to make wine, and then share the profits. Everyone wins. Including me, because I get to drink the wine.
And now, we taste:
See – 4/5 – Pinot Noir is a lighter wine. Still very much red, but not as dark as, say, a cabernet.
Smell – 5/5 – Here we go again with the concept of rocks. Inhale and imagine the damp stones along a riverbed mixed with candied fruit. I think you’ll like it.
Sip – 4/5 – This wine is pleasantly dry. I would be happy drinking this solo, sans dinner. If you do pair it with dinner I would go with light fare – think arugula salad or grilled fish. Go big with this wine on your light meal days when you still want a goblet of red.
Savor – 4/5 – Ok, I cheated and looked at the tasting notes on the back of the bottle. Ready to go on a journey with me? “Aromas of savory toast, nutmeg, and mint lead to a surprising mouthful of zingy acidity with bright and juicy marionberry and Rainier cherry flavors.” I’ve never had a marionberry, but I could go for one. And I love savory toast. I do get a mild anise flavor at the finish, especially after the wine had been sitting out for awhile.
So on to tonight’s wine, the 2018 pinot noir from Cloudveil Vineyards. Full disclosure, the label pulled me in on this. I don’t usually go by labels, but I’m a sucker for navy – handbags, cardigans, and wine labels, apparently.
Also I want to point out that Cloudveil wines are made by a woman, Sarah Cabot, which (unfortunately) just isn’t that common and I love to see it! I am definitely putting this winery on my list the next time I travel to the Pacific Northwest. This wine is from the Willamette Valley, the region of Oregon between the Oregon’s Coastal Range and the Cascades. The Cascade Mountains are gorgeous, so even if pinot noir isn’t your jam, you should check them out sometime.
Anyway, on to the wine. Not to spoil the ending, but this might make my top 5 best wines of the year list. I loved it.
See – 4/5 – Like the Sharecropper, this wine is lighter than other wines I’ve featured on the blog. I love the shadow it casts on my hand as I hold it up to the light cast by the YouTube cooking show I’m watching.
Smell – 5/5 – This wine screams late summer fruit. I get heavy notes of red raspberry, cherry, and perfectly ripe apple.
Sip – 4/5 – Again with the apple! But like, I don’t want to overuse the apple note, because this is NOT an apple-flavored wine. Also, the wine is more acidic on the tongue than the nose, but not in a bad way.
Savor – 5/5 – Here’s where we shine. The oak finish on this bad boy is a delight. A little spicy, a lot pleasant.
So, there you go! Two wines that I hope make it on your to-try list. The Cloudveil will definitely find a home on my bar cart.
Other pinot noirs I recommend at approachable price points: Cloudline, Union Wine Co., and Gaspard.
Cheers friends!