Defined by Barrel: The Wood Affects the Wine

We have written many times before about how the transparent nature of Pinot Noir reveals everything about itself. The place of its origin, the lateness of harvest, the yeast types used for fermentation, the length of time and type of barrel used for aging all put their very obvious stamp on the finished wine.

A great part of the fun of wine is in the knowing, and we think the deliciousness of the La Rochelle wines can be more greatly appreciated when you know more than just the surface details.

The 2007 vintage will be one of the best Pinot vintages in recent memory. The La Rochelle wines are just now rolling out. Some of the first include a pair of wines that, on the surface, differ only in the type of barrel used for aging. But a deeper look, will show just how profound a difference that aging vessel can make.

We have just released two single barrel wines: the 2007 Pinot Noir - Mission Ranch, Pommard Clone, American Oak and French oak. The barrel used to age wine obviously affects that wine's aromatics and flavors. But it has as dramatic an affect on the texture and structure of the wine as well.

Up front there is substantially more woodiness in the American barrel than there is in the French counterpart. The aromatics include the relatively overt, smoky, sweet oak notes of a Nadalie American oak barrel (Virginia wood) while the wood effect of the French (Nadalie, Allier forest) barrel is more in the shaping of the wine. The aromatics persist longer in the American barrel, the dark fruit notes heightened by the sweet underlayment of wood.

In the mouth, a similar sensation is also present. The French barrel seems substantially more elegant: tighter and less overtly fruity than the American barrel, while the smoky sweetness and dark fruit aromas are translated readily to the mouth in the American.

Imagine the route of the wine through your mouth as a highway. Upon entry, both wines are on a two lane road. Quickly though, the American's exuberant fruit expands the road to 4 lanes. On the mid-palate, the American road is wider still, and on the finish, the road resembles a funnel: the fruit, tannin, and acid are rampant. Conversely, the French road widens only a little and only on the finish. This wine lacks the American's full-throttled wideness at this point, relying instead on a staid and elegant containment (a very well paved, pot-hole-free journey). The French does, on the finish, hint at its own abundance, however: an abundance that will reveal itself over the next several years.

Only 20 cases or so of each wine was produced and it is moving quickly. Grab yourself a bottle of each and make your own comparisons. Let us know which you prefer.

Next time we will discuss just why there is so much difference between French and American oak barrels.