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.
by 
