Desperately Seeking...

[tear wah]

Passion for Pinot. . .

I love Pinot Noir. I also love Barolo. To me, these wine shave that unique combination of elusive, layered complexity, exotic fruit and non-fruit aromas and flavors - right out of the shoot and the ability to express the uniqueness of their vineyard source like no other wines. Pinot Noir expresses itself clearly to me. If you try to trick it out with winemaking tricks or cost cutting measures (i.e. over-cropping, filtering, etc.) you blow it. Hell, Cabernet will probably be there with the roaches after nuclear war (God forbid we ever have that).

Try:

Melville Pinot Noir from the new Santa Rita Hills appellation. Deep, highly perfumed wines at screaming good prices.

Capiaux Pinot Noir, Gary's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands

Kalin Cellars Cuvee DD 1995 (This is their current release!!)

These wines are complete, harmonious, layered, inetersting "food for the stomach and soul."

Judging by your intial question and the fact that you are obviously an experienced taster, maybe you have had these and they simply didn't turn you on. If that's the case, I guess all I can say is, "To each his own." There are plenty of great wines and I hope you are able to enjoy as many of them in your life and work as possible!