Pinot

You can't even say, "Pinot Noir."

You see, the reason that this region is so good for pinot, is that the cold air off the Pacific flows in at night and it just cools down the berries. Pinot's a very thin-skinned grape. It doesn't like constant heat or humidity. Very delicate.

“Grant, today you're going to crush the pinot grapes in the fermenters outside.” I clapped my hands together, excited to be really making wine and said, “Okay… show me what I have to do.”

How much funkiness makes a pinot taste desirably complex, and how much more really is too much? Is a pinot good if it does not taste more like fruit than stones?

Most good pinot noir is not cheap, so it’s worth looking out for special offers, especially on New Zealand pinots, which are more widely stocked by supermarkets.