Was it worth a try? If one can afford it., yes.
First, I am a novice wine lover with 50+ years’ experience, pairing it with dinner. Up front, I must state that the under$30 (low end) red French burgundies based on pinot noir, failed to deliver. The California pinot noirs at less than $20 were good but too intense, perhaps, due to the warmer climate. At the lower end, both the California and Oregon pinot noirs remind me of raspberry cool-aid. The real stuff from the negociants - renowned towns & plots in Burgundy costs princely sums ... $65 to $6000. The Willamette Valley latitude approximates Burgundy. Pricey bottles are produced by French winemaker Joseph Drouhin in Oregon. Sophisticated whites, based on the Chardonnay grape, from France & California may still be enjoyed, priced below $25, as of this review but prices are rising. Climate change factors in.
We aired it, an hour before a dinner of crab cakes & sauteed mixed vegetables. The crabcakes appeared to be a match, but on reflection, chicken, game, pork, deer or veal would present a better pairing. Also, 15 minutes air time should suffice.
Upon opening, a delicate scent of ripe berries and violets. On tasting, one detects cherries and raspberries with violets. There were earth notes with no detected minerals (one may disagree with this). The wine had body, but did not display rivulets down the side of the glass (as devilishly described by the French burgundy experts of the last 40 years). It was dry with some acid and a heft of alcohol (@13.9%) says…
