Winemaker Notes
Located just north of the state of Washington, British Columbia includes five distinct Geographical Indications; its vineyards mostly surround the cities of Vancouver and Victoria and include a few more inland locations. The region grows about 80 different varieties including Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Riesling as well as Merlot, Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”