Bread Butter Pinot Noir

Bread & Butter Pinot Noir is a California red from the Napa Valley, bottled at 13.5% alcohol by volume. That figure sits in the middle of the range for California Pinot: below the 14.5 to 15 percent of the ripest, most concentrated examples, and above the leaner, cool-coast bottlings. Expect a medium-bodied wine in which red fruit leads, with cherry and strawberry the usual markers of the grape, and with softer dark-berry and spice notes in the background. Pinot Noir typically has fine, light tannins and moderate to bright acidity, so the texture is smooth rather than grippy. Any oak influence in a style like this tends toward gentle vanilla or baking spice, not heavy toast. Because the tannins are modest and the acidity is lively, this bottle works well at the table with foods that would overwhelm a bigger red. Roast chicken, duck breast, pork tenderloin, and salmon or tuna steaks are all natural partners. Mushroom dishes, such as risotto or a simple sauté on toast, bring out the earthy side of the grape. Mild cheeses like Gruyère, Brie, and young goat cheese suit it better than aged, sharp ones. Pizza with tomato and basil is a good casual match, since the wine's acidity keeps pace with the sauce. Serve it lightly cooled, at roughly 55 to 60°F (13 to 16°C). A short stay in the refrigerator, about 20 minutes, brings a room-temperature bottle into range. Served too warm, Pinot can taste loose and alcoholic, and served too cold, its fruit goes quiet. Decanting is not required for a wine of this weight, though pouring it into a glass and giving it ten minutes will open the aromas. A Burgundy-style glass, with a wide bowl and a tapered rim, concentrates the red-fruit and floral notes better than a standard all-purpose stem. Most Pinot Noir at this level is made for current drinking, and there is little reason to cellar it. Open it within the next few years for the freshest fruit, and don't expect it to improve with long storage.